Esso achieves first oil at Erha North

ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso E&P Nigeria started oil production earlier than planned at the Erha North Phase 2 deepwater subsea development project, offshore Nigeria.

Esso North subsea structures. Image from Aveon Offshore.

Erha North Phase 2 is a located 60mi offshore Nigeria at 3300ft water depth, and about 4mi north of the Erha field, which has been producing since 2006.

The project includes seven wells from three drill centers tied back to the existing Erha North floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, that reduces the need for additional infrastructure requirements.

Erha North Phase 2 is estimated to develop an additional 165 MMbbl from the currently producing Erha North field, with peak production from the expansion currently estimated at 65,000 b/d, which will increase the field’s production to about 90,000 b/d.

The project’s ahead-of-schedule startup was supported by strong performance from Nigerian contractors, which accounted for more than US$2 billion of project investment for goods and services, including subsea equipment, facilities and offshore installation, according to Neil W. Duffin, president of ExxonMobil Development Co.

In June, Nigeria’s Aveon Offshore successfully completed the fabrication, supported testing and load-out of subsea equipment for Esso's Erha North Phase 2 project. The load out and sail away of the five suction piles, production and water-injection manifolds and riser base lift module with choke loop bridge occurred in four batches between October 2014 and March 2015, with the final batch of five mudmats with foundation base and two production manifolds with pigging loop sailing away 5 April 2015.

Esso is the operator of Erha North Phase 2 with 56.25%, along with its partner Shell Nigeria E&P Co. (43.75%).

ExxonMobil said it expects to increase its global production volumes this year by 2% to 4.1 MMboe/d, driven by 7% liquids growth. The volume increase is supported by the ramp up of projects completed in 2014 and the expected startup of major developments in 2015.

Read more:

Erha North Phase 2 on track

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