Lianzi oil, gas flow begins offshore central Africa

Chevron Overseas (Congo) Ltd., a subsidiary of Chevron Corp., has started oil and gas production from Lianzi field in a unitized offshore zone between Congo (Brazzaville) and Angola.

The company says Lianzi—65 miles offshore in 3,000 ft of water (OGJ Online, July 31, 2012)—is its first operated asset in Congo (Brazzaville) and the first cross-border oil development project offshore central Africa. The project is expected to produce an average of 40,000 bo/d.

The field, discovered in 2004 (OGJ Online, Oct. 12, 2004), includes a subsea production system and a 27-mile electrically heated flowline system, the first of its kind at this water depth, Chevron says. The system transports the oil from the field to the Benguela Belize–Lobito Tomboco platform in Angola’s Block 14 and utilizes a direct electrical heating (DEH) system to ensure fluid flow under a wide range of conditions.

“As the first offshore energy development spanning national boundaries in the central Africa region, Lianzi represents a unique cooperative approach to share offshore resources and may serve as a model for the development of similar cross-border fields between two countries,” said Ali Moshiri, president of Chevron Africa and Latin America Exploration & Production Co.

Chevron Overseas (Congo) operates Lianzi with 15.75% interest, along with its affiliate Cabinda Gulf Oil Co. Ltd. 15.5%, Total E&P Congo 26.75%, Angola Block 14 BV 10%, Eni SPA 10%, Sonangol P&P 10%, Republic of Congo National Oil Co. (SNPC) 7.5%, and Petroleos de Portugal-Petrogal SA 4.5%.