Tullow getting ready for second Jubilee shutdown

UK-based Tullow Oil has completed the first of three scheduled shutdowns of the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah on the Jubilee field offshore Ghana and is preparing for the second one, which is planned for May. 

In an update on Wednesday, Tullow said that the first shutdown to stabilize the turret bearing at Jubilee FPSO had been completed successfully.

Namely, the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah was shut down for 19 days in the first quarter of 2018 to carry out the first stage of work required to stabilize the turret bearing, and to conduct some non-turret related maintenance work.

The company further said that the second planned shutdown of approximately three weeks was scheduled for May to complete the stabilization of the bearing.

A further planned shutdown of approximately one week is expected around the end of 2018 to rotate the FPSO to its permanent heading and install the final spread mooring anchoring system. Tullow noted that work is ongoing to optimize the duration of the shutdown.

To remind, Tullow’s problems with the turret bearing of the Jubilee FPSO, which resulted in the need to implement new operating and offtake procedures, utilizing a dynamically positioned shuttle tanker and a storage vessel, started in February 2016. Tullow, as the operator of the field, has been working since then to solve it. Tullow’s partners in the field are Kosmos, Anadarko, GNPC, and Petro SA.

When it comes to production from the Jubilee field, it averaged 63,800 bopd in the first quarter of 2018.

Maersk rig arrives 

Tullow also informed that the Maersk Venturer drillship, hired on a four-year contract, arrived in Ghana and began operations in the field on March 9, 2018.

The rig is expected to drill and complete four wells in 2018. The first well is a Ntomme production well at TEN which is progressing as planned and is expected to be brought on stream around the middle of the year.

The second well planned is a Jubilee production well located in the north-eastern area of the field. Work is ongoing to finalize the sequence of further wells to maximize production from both the Jubilee and TEN fields.

Tullow and its joint ventures partners are still evaluating the business case for contracting a second rig that would allow the acceleration of drilling across both fields.

Offshore Energy Today Staff