Production begins from Bonga Phase 3 offshore Nigeria

Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production Co. Ltd. (SNEPCo) has started production offshore Nigeria from the Bonga Phase 3 project, an expansion of the Bonga Main development.

Peak production is expected at 50,000 boe/d. Resources will be transported through existing pipelines to the Bonga floating production, storage, and offloading facility, which can produce more than 200,000 b/d of oil and 150 MMscfd of gas.

Bonga field, which began producing oil and gas in 2005, was Nigeria’s first deepwater development in depths of more than 1,000 m (OGJ Online, Dec. 1, 2005). Shell last year started production from the first well at Bonga North West (OGJ Online, Aug. 6, 2014). Bonga has produced more than 600 million bbl of oil to date.

SNEPCo operates the Bonga project as contractor with 55% interest under a production-sharing contract with Nigerian National Petroleum Co., which holds the lease for OML 118 where Bonga field is located. Partners are Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria Ltd. 20%, Total E&P Nigeria Ltd. 12.5%, and Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd. 12.5%.