Shell produces first gas from Colibri project off Trinidad and Tobago

Oil major Shell has started production on Block 22 and NCMA-4 in the North Coast Marine Area (NCMA) in Trinidad and Tobago.

Shell made the Final Investment Decision for Project Colibri in March 2020. The start-up of Colibri follows the amendment to the Block 6 Production Sharing Contract for the Manatee field, marking yet another significant milestone in Shell’s growth strategy in the country, Shell said on Thursday.

This will allow for the delivery of gas both domestically and internationally through Atlantic LNG.

Project Colibri is a backfill project that is expected to add approximately 30,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) (174 mmscf/d) of sustained near-term gas production with peak production expected to be approximately 43,000 boe/d (250 mmscf/d) through a series of four subsea gas wells, tied back to the existing Poinsettia platform located in the NCMA acreage.

Wael Sawan, Director of Integrated Gas, Renewable and Energy Solutions: “This reinforces the delivery of Shell’s Powering Progress strategy in country, as we seek to provide more and cleaner energy solutions, globally. Colibri, along with other development projects, will see natural gas going into both the domestic petrochemical markets and into LNG exports, in line with the energy ambitions of Trinidad and Tobago.”

The Shell-operated Colibri development is co-owned with the Trinidad and Tobago national oil company Heritage Petroleum Company, which has a working interest of 10 per cent and 20 per cent respectively in Block 22 and NCMA-4 in the North Coast Marine Area (NCMA).

It is worth reminding that Shell also started production from Block 5C in the East Coast Marine Area (ECMA), also known as project Barracuda, located in Trinidad and Tobago, in July 2021.

Colibri, when combined with Barracuda and existing developments, will deliver more gas to the Trinidad and Tobago domestic market and the LNG export markets.