SOFEC delivers equipment for Eni’s Mexico-bound FPSO

Offshore mooring systems provider SOFEC has delivered key pieces of equipment for a MODEC FPSO vessel, which will operate for Eni in waters offshore Mexico.

Eni contracted MODEC to provide a new FPSO for its Offshore Area 1 project, located off Mexico, back in October 2018. The firm time charter period is 15 years with five one-year extension options.

That same month, SOFEC was awarded a contract by MODEC for the Disconnectable Tower Yoke Mooring System (DTYMS) for the FPSO Miamte MV34.

The FPSO will be located in the Eni-operated Area 1, Amoca and Mitzon Fields, in the Bay of Campeche, at a water depth of 32.6 meters.

The FPSO is specially designed to process fluids coming from fixed production platforms within the field. Oil will be stored in the FPSO and exported to offtake tankers via conventional tandem offloading.

The FPSO and its modern mooring system is designed for a life of 20 years without requiring dry-docking and will be classed under the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS).

According to SOFEC, the DTYMS was developed to moor the FPSO to avoid the active hurricane environment and winter storms of the Gulf of Mexico.

Due to the unique and challenging field criteria at the site of the FPSO, SOFEC said it has developed a unique, first of a kind DTYMS for the FPSO.

Design, procurement, and project management services were executed from SOFEC’s Houston office with assistance and support from its Singapore office.

The complete, design, procurement and project management activities were executed in-house.

The delivery of the Upper Tower was made on 28 December 2020 and MSS (Mooring Support Structure) & Yoke Structure on 5 January 2021.

SOFEC’s President & CEO, Rick Hall, stated: “I am extremely proud of the work completed by the project team while facing the difficulties of a new product design and COVID restrictions. We look forward to supporting our client with the successful installation and startup of the system”.

In related news, Chinese shipbuilder Cosco Shipping Heavy Industry in December 2020 delivered the FPSO vessel for Eni’s Amoca shallow-water project.