ExxonMobil and its production partners in the Stabroek Block are on track to triple its production capacity offshore Guyana, as its second Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO)—Liza Unity—vessel nears completion.
The massive 220,000 barrels per day (bpd) FPSO is being constructed at the Keppel shipyard in Singapore with SBM Offshore announcing on Tuesday that the topsides lifting campaign for the Liza Unity FPSO was recently completed.
The vessel, which is scheduled to arrive in Guyana as early as mid-year, is scheduled for production in the Stabroek Block and will bring the country’s total capacity to some 340,000 taking into account the 120,000 bpd Liza Destiny—currently operating offshore Guyana.
The Dutch-based ship building company, in making its announcement noted that, “thanks to the efforts of the integrated team, over 26,000 tons of topsides were safely lifted in position at Keppel Shipyard in Singapore since the vessel came out of dry-dock in October of last year.”
SBM Offshore said in its announcement that all efforts are now focused on further progressing and completing the integration activities and gradually ramping-up the onboard commissioning activities.
According to reports, the Liza Unity is the first FPSO built under SBM Offshore’s Fast4Ward design, which entails the use of a standardised new built, multi-purpose hull combined with several standardised topside modules.
The hull was built in China, with topside modules built by Keppel and Dyna-Mac.
Once completed, the FPSO is expected to sail to Guyana, where it will be deployed as part of the second phase of ExxonMobil’s Liza field development.
The Liza Unity FPSO is also designed to have an associated gas treatment capacity of 400 million cubic feet per day, and water injection capacity of 250,000 barrels per day.
The vessel moored in a water depth of about 1,600 meters and will be able to store around two million barrels of crude oil.
According to the company, “the project continues to target first oil in 2022 in line with client planning.”
Once online, the FPSO will be the second FPSO in production in Guyana, after the Liza Destiny FPSO started producing oil in December 2019.
The Liza Destiny was also refurbished by SBM Offshore, which converted the one million barrels storage capacity Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) into an FPSO.
The Dutch based company was last October awarded a contract with the Stabroek Block Operator—ExxonMobil and its Guyana partners – to build an FPSO for what will be the third offshore development in Guyana, namely at the Payara field.
Under the contract, SBM Offshore will construct, install, and then lease and operate the FPSO named Prosperity at the Payara project offshore Guyana for a period of up to two years.
The FPSO’s ownership and operation will transfer to ExxonMobil, which operates the Stabroek offshore block in Guyana, along with consortia partners Hess Corporation and China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC).”
The Prosperity FPSO is said to utilise a design that largely replicates the design of the Liza Unity FPSO with first oil expected in 2024.
ExxonMobil has so far signalled intentions to have six FPSOs producing from the Stabroek Block by 2027.(kaituernews)