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The current projects are only the beginning. "The real potential lies farther and deeper offshore," says Roger Abel, Conoco's general manager for production engineering. "The big easies have all been found." Shell is investing $1.3 billion to build and install a tension-leg platform some 411 km (255 miles) southeast of Houston that will retrieve oil from a world-record depth of 872 m (2,860 ft.). Called Auger, the giant is scheduled to begin producing from 32 wells in 1993. Shell has also drilled an exploratory well at a 2,300-m (7,500-ft.) depth, and Mobil and Chevron hold leases to search in 3,000 m (10,000 ft.) of water. As long as oil prices make the gamble worthwhile, today's explorers will apparently go to any depths to unleash the next great undersea gusher.