Manifa oil flow starts offshore Saudi Arabia
April 15, 2013
Production has begun from the first phase of development of Manifa oil field offshore Saudi Arabia and is expected to reach 500,000 b/d by July.
The start-up was 3 months ahead of schedule, according to Saudi Aramco.
The company is developing the shallow-water Persian Gulf field with 27 man-made drilling islands, 13 platforms, and 15 onshore drillsites (OGJ Online, Feb. 23, 2011). The project includes 41 km of causeways and 3 km of bridges designed to maintain natural water flow in Manifa Bay.
A 420-Mw heat and electricity also has started up.
Manifa field, about 200 km northwest of Dhahran, is expected to be fully operational by December 2014, when production will be 900,000 b/d of Arabian Heavy crude oil, 90 MMscfd of sour natural gas, and 65,000 b/d of condensate.