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ExxonM’s 5th Production Ship progressing ahead of schedule
Kaieteur News – Japanese floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) operator MODEC has announced a new milestone by completing the keel laying for the construction of a floating FPSO hull, which is destined for ExxonMobil’s fifth oil development in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana.
A ceremony to mark the beginning of construction for the FPSO Errea Wittu was held on February 2, 2024. The FPSO unit will be situated on ExxonMobil’s $12.7 billion Uaru project, sanctioned in April 2023.
Offshore Frontier Solutions, a MODEC Group company, is in charge of the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) work for the vessel based on its M350 new build hull. According to the Japanese firm, the keel laying for the construction of the FPSO Errea Wittu hull has been carried out five weeks ahead of schedule.
“This performance milestone demonstrates the dedication and collaboration of the teams involved. In addition to this achievement, we take pride in maintaining a strong safety record with zero lost time injuries (LTI) and ensuring the engineering progresses according to the schedule. This reflects our unwavering commitment to providing a safe and efficient work environment,” explained MODEC.
With a topside designed to produce approximately 250,000 barrels of oil per day, the FPSO Errea Wittu will have an associated gas treatment capacity of 540 million cubic feet per day, a water injection capacity of 350,000 barrels per day, and produced water capacity of 300,000 barrels per day. The vessel is expected to be delivered to ExxonMobil in 2026.
The Japanese player has already hired several players for work on the FPSO Errea Wittu.
Formally titled the Uaru Development Project (Uaru), EEPGL is proposing to develop its fifth of 10 planned oil production facilities offshore Guyana in the Stabroek Block alone.
The company also holds controlling interests in a number of other offshore blocks for which exploration wells are planned this year including on the Canje and Kaieteur Blocks.
This fifth development is to be located in the eastern portion of the Stabroek Block; approximately 200km from Georgetown with production from Uaru Project expected to last approximately 20 to 30 years.
It is envisaged that EEPGL will drill between 40 to 76 wells offshore to support extraction of the oil from below the sea floor.
Each well will be drilled using a drillship and EEPGL will install some of the oil production facilities on the sea floor at approximately 1,450 to 1,950 m water depth.
The FPSO will be moored on location in approximately 1,690m of water depth and will remain on location throughout the production stage, according to EEPGL, which will have the peak capacity to produce up to approximately 220,000 barrels to 275,000 barrels of oil per day. Processed oil will be stored in cargo tanks inside the FPSO hull which have the capacity to hold approximately two million barrels of oil.
It was noted that during peak production, approximately every four days, the oil will be pumped from the FPSO to a conventional oil tanker, which is owned/operated by third parties.
According to the company, EEPGL will utilise onshore support facilities to support drilling the wells, installing the offshore production facilities, and operating the offshore production facilities.
The Project Document suggests “this will include but is not limited to shore bases, warehouses, storage and pipe yards, fabrication facilities, fuel supply facilities, and waste management facilities in Guyana. Helicopters and supply boats will also be needed to support the Project.”
It said that at peak, EEPGL will utilise approximately 1,200 personnel offshore during the stage where the wells are being drilled and the offshore oil production facilities are being installed. This number will decrease to less than 200 personnel during the production phase and a smaller number of personnel will be utilised at the onshore support facilities.
Recently, Seatrium joined the ranks of multiple other players working on the FPSO, including Jumbo Offshore Installation Contractors, SOFEC, ABB, TMC Compressors, and Miko Marine.
MODEC is working on several other FPSO projects. Earlier this year, the firm cheered the first steel fabrication milestone for an FPSO destined to work on an Equinor-operated pre-salt gas and condensate project off the coast of Brazil.
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