The first Spar platform in the Gulf of Mexico was installed in September 1996 by Oryx Energy Co. to develop the Neptune oil field. The Spar platform saved an estimated $90 million compared to a conventional platform due to its design consisting of a 705-foot long, 72-foot diameter cylindrical hull that floats vertically and is anchored to the seabed. Production from the Neptune field using this innovative Spar technology was expected to peak at 25,000 barrels of oil and 30 million cubic feet of natural gas per day starting in 1999.