CLOV development starts up offshore Angola

This article was edited on June 13 to correct water depths.

Total SA and partners have started up the four-field CLOV development in deep water offshore Angola with production capacity of 160,000 b/d of oil (OGJ Online, Jan. 13, 2012).

The group is developing Cravo, Lirio, Orquidea, and Violeta fields with 34 wells and 8 manifolds connected to a floating production, storage, and offloading vessel in 1,100-1,400 m of water 140 km off Luanda. Proved and probable reserves exceed 500 million bbl, Total said.

The CLOV vessel, with storage capacity of 1.8 million bbl of oil, is the fourth FPSO on Block 17. Others are on Girassol, Dalia, and Pazflor fields.

Gas produced by the CLOV fields will move by pipeline to the Angola LNG plant.

The development uses a subsea multiphase pump system to accommodate production of oil from Oligocene reservoirs and more viscous oil from Miocene reservoirs.

Total, operator, holds a 40% interest in Block 17. Partners are Statoil ASA with 23.33%, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Ltd. 20%, and BP PLC 16.67%.