U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) inspectors and engineers last week carried out an offshore regulatory pre-production inspection of Murphy Oil’s King’s Quay floating production system (FPS) platform.
The facility, a semi-submersible FPS, is now currently moored in Green Canyon Block 433 in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, about 175 miles south of New Orleans.
“The first offshore follow-up inspection is a very crucial time in the installation of a new production platform in the Gulf,” said BSEE Houma District production supervisor Micah Charpentier. “It is vital that our team follows up on items or discrepancies onboard the facility including processes, parts installations, components, and safety devices to ensure they represent those of the initial permit submitted by the operator.”
BSEE conducted an initial dockside pre-production inspection of King’s Quay in Ingleside, Texas in September 2021, which was required before the platform could sail to its final mooring site. During the dockside inspection, inspectors verified that safety equipment, components, and production processes aboard the structure were constructed as planned, met industry standards, and complied with federal regulations. Corrections to any discrepancies or items of concern were verified during this offshore inspection to ensure all safety and environmental systems are properly in place before King’s Quay can begin production. The facility has the capacity to process 80,000 barrels of oil per day and 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day.
“This follow-up inspection is another example of the vital work that BSEE does to ensure that new oil and gas production facilities are safe and environmentally sound,” said BSEE Houma District Manager Amy Pellegrin.
Having completed the follow-up initial offshore pre-production inspection, the King’s Quay FPS is on schedule to start regular production in mid-2022 and is expected to handle production from the Khaleesi, Mormont, and Samurai fields within the Green Canyon area.