Kosmos Energy Ltd., Dallas, reported that it was informed by Tullow Oil PLC, operator of the Jubilee unit offshore Ghana, of a change to operating procedures on the Jubilee field floating production, storage, and offloading vessel. Oil production and natural gas exports from the area are continuing as normal, however.
“Following a recent inspection of the turret area of the Jubilee FPSO by Sofec Inc., the original turret manufacturer, a potential issue was identified with the turret bearing,” Kosmos said. Additional operating procedures to monitor the turret bearing and reduce the degree of rotation of the vessel are being put into place as a precautionary measure, Kosmos said.
Sofec will now undertake further offshore examinations and Tullow will work with the engineering firm to determine what further measures will be required.
Gas exports to the Ghana gas plant at Atuabo were most recently suspended July 3, 2015, due to technical issues with gas compression systems on the Kwame Nkrumah FPSO (OGJ Online, July 20, 2015). Tullow reported in August that gas exports from the field had resumed and oil production had returned to previous rates (OGJ Online, Aug. 17, 2015). During first-half 2015, oil production from Jubilee averaged 105,000 b/d.
