Dutch FPSO leasing specialist SBM Offshore has signed a contract with Woodside for the construction of a floating storage and offloading (FSO) unit for the Trion deepwater oil field, located in the Perdido Belt of the western Gulf of Mexico.
Under the contract, SBM Offshore will construct and thereafter lease to Woodside an FSO unit for a period of 20 years.
This award comes in addition to the transportation and installation job for the FSO and the FPU, secured by SBM Offshore in 2023.
The new build FSO, based on a Suezmax-type hull, will be equipped with a Disconnectable Turret Mooring (DTM) system designed by the Dutch company.
The FSO will be moored in water depth of about 2,500 meters and will be able to store around 950,000 barrels of crude oil.
The Trion field is located 180 km off the Mexican coastline and 30 km south of the U.S./Mexico maritime border.
The Trion project is an alliance between Woodside, which acts as the operator with 60% working interest, and PEMEX Exploración y Producción with 40% stake.
Woodside made final investment decision (FID) for Trion project in June 2023.
Trion field will be developed through a floating production unit (FPU) with an oil production capacity of 100,000 barrels per day.
The FPU, to be built by South Korea’s HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, will be connected to a floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel with a capacity of 950,000 barrels of oil.
The first oil is targeted for 2028.
UK engineering company Wood has been tasked by HD Hyundai Heavy Industries for detailed engineering of the topsides facilities on the FPU, while Subsea7 will be in charge of subsea installation services.