HOUSTON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Chevron ( CVX ) has achieved

a technological breakthrough, producing first oil from a U.S.

Gulf of Mexico field under extreme subsea pressures, the energy

company said on Monday.

Its $5.7-billion project, called Anchor, ushers in an era of

production from deepwater areas that had long been off-limits,

because of the lack of equipment able to cope with pressures of

up to 20,000 pounds per square inch.

Chevron ( CVX ) and partner TotalEnergies expect the

Anchor development to produce for 30 years.

At its peak, the floating platform will pump up to 75,000

barrels of oil and 28 million cubic feet of natural gas a day.

The field is about 140 miles (225 km) off the coast of

Louisiana.

"This industry-first deepwater technology allows us to

unlock previously difficult-to-access resources and will enable

similar deepwater high-pressure developments for the industry,"

said Chevron ( CVX ) Executive Vice President Nigel Hearne.

Another U.S. oil company, Beacon Offshore Energy, aims to

replicate Chevron's ( CVX ) 20,000-psi feat at its Shenandoah deepwater

field, also off the coast of Louisiana. That project has been

delayed, with first oil expected in the second quarter of 2025.

BP discovered the Gulf of Mexico's first 20,000-psi

field, called Kaskida, in 2006, but the subsea technologies of

the time did not allow development. Until now, subsea

technologies have largely been capped at pressures of 15,000

psi.

But last month, BP greenlit development of the field, citing

new developments. It plans to leverage subsea equipment designs

and achieve first Kaskida oil production in 2029.

Chevron's ( CVX ) development will have seven subsea wells tied to

the Anchor floating production platform. The subsea field is

estimated to hold up to 440 million barrels of recoverable oil

and gas.

"This Anchor milestone demonstrates Chevron's ( CVX ) ability to

safely deliver projects within budget in the Gulf of Mexico,"

said Bruce Niemeyer, head of Chevron's ( CVX ) Americas oil and gas

production.