Singapore's Sembcorp Marine (Sembmarine) has agreed a deal with Shell Offshore to build the hull and topside of a floating production unit (FPU).
Vito will be based in the Mississippi Canyon, 150 miles south of New Orleans, in water depth of 4,050 feet.
The single topside module will be supported by a four-column semi-submersible floating hull.
Vito will have a throughput capacity of 100,000 barrels per day of oil and 100m standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas.
