Royal Dutch Shell has announced the start of crude oil production from the Bonga deepwater oil and gas field, 120 kilometers offshore Nigeria. The target is to attain the current nameplate production of 225,000 barrels of oil and 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day as soon as possible.
The development cost to first oil for Bonga is some $3.6 billion dollars. The field was discovered and developed by Shell using its technology and deepwater experience, and marks a number of industry records.
Located in Oil Prospecting Licence 212, the 60 square kilometer field is situated in water depths of more than 1000 metres. Production facilities comprise one of the world’s largest Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels and deepwater subsea infrastructure. The field’s initial 16 subsea oil producing and water injection wells are connected to the two million barrel storage capacity FPSO by production flowlines, risers and control umbilicals. Notably, this is the first time inconel clad Steel Catenary Risers have been used on an FPSO anywhere in the world.
Associated gas from Bonga will be piped via the Shell operated 268 km 32 inch Offshore Gas Gathering System to Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd for export to US and European markets. The oil, with an API of around 30, will also be exported from the FPSO to European and US markets.
http://www.shell.com
Posted 29th November 2005
