Total starts oil field offshore Nigeria
Total said production has started from Usan oil field 100 km offshore southeastern Nigeria (OGJ Online, Dec. 9, 2009).
Development of the field, in 750-850 m of water, involves 42 wells connected to a spread-moored floating production, storage, and offloading vessel by a 70-km long subsea network.
The FPSO can process 180,000 b/d of oil and has storage capacity of 2 million bbl of crude oil.
Its 320 m length and 61 m width makes the FPSO one of the largest vessels of its type in the world, Total said.
Total’s wholly owned subsidiary Total E&P Nigeria Ltd. operates the block, OML 138, with a 20% interest. Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. holds the concession. Total’s partners are Chevron Petroleum Nigeria Ltd. and Esso E&P Nigeria (Offshore East) Ltd., 30% each, and Nexen Petroleum Nigerial Ltd., 20%.
Bob Tippee | Editor
Bob Tippee has been chief editor of Oil & Gas Journal since January 1999 and a member of the Journal staff since October 1977. Before joining the magazine, he worked as a reporter at the Tulsa World and served for four years as an officer in the US Air Force. A native of St. Louis, he holds a degree in journalism from the University of Tulsa.