Feature 2
FPSOs dominate offshore industry boom
Floating production vessels have seen a boom in recent years partly due to
innovative technology and also the varied, but generally rising, price of oil.
ccording to a report by leading and Tullow Ghana Ltd (Unit Operator), to of the largest oil fi elds discovered off shore
industry analysts Douglas- provide and operate the fi rst FPSO to be Africa in the past 10 years. Th e FPSO has
AWestwood, the period leading up installed on Jubilee Field off shore Ghana. a processing capability of 120,000bopd and
to 2012 will see more than US$40 billion Th e contract is a seven-year lease with 13 an injection rate of 230,000bowd and can
spent on around 123 fl oating production one-year options. generate 160mmscfd of gas. Th e date for
systems, they have forecasted. As part of the Phase-1 development plan, fi rst oil production is scheduled in 2010 and
The regions that will see the largest the FPSO will be installed in approximately the FPSO is likely to remain in service for up
increase in installations are Asia and 1100m water depth off the Jubilee Field, one to 20 years. OMT
West Africa. Africa’s expected capital
expenditure is forecasted at US$11.6
billion, highlighting the need for
new-buildings and high-specification
vessels that are required off shore western
- FIRE WATER MODULES
Africa. Asia’s capital expenditure off shore
looks somewhat lower at more than US$4 - GENSETS
billion less than Africa’s. Th is is expected

- PUMPING PACKAGES
due to shallower waters and better security

onboard vessels and in littoral waters.
- HYDRAULIC POWER PACKS
Following the recent large-scale discovery

of oil off shore Brazil, FPSO technology has
- COMPRESSOR PACKAGES
seen an increase, with MODEC announcing


that Petróleo Brasileiro S.A (Petrobras)

has signed a letter of intent for the supply,

charter and operations of an FPSO vessel


on the Tupi area in the Santos basin. Th is
is the sixth vessel that MODEC have
provided and operated off shore Brazil and
will be the fi rst permanent FPSO to operate
in the Tupi area. It is expected that FPSO
Cidade de Niteroi MV18 will be installed in
the fourth quarter of 2008 and the second
FPSO currently under construction, FPSO
Cidade de Niteroi MV20 will be installed in
the fourth quarter of 2009.
MODEC will convert VLCC M/V
Sunrise IV into FPSO Cidade de Angra
dos Reis MV22 and will be capable of
processing 100,000boepd or 150,000
barrels of total fl uids per day, 150mmscfd

and a storage capacity of 1,600,000bbl. Th e
FPSO is planned to arrive in Brazil in the
fourth quarter 2010 and will be installed
at 2150m water depth with an expected
service life of 20 years.
First FPSO offshore Ghana
Meanwhile MODEC has also announced an
WWW.FISCHCON.COM
agreement with the Jubilee Field Partners
Offshore Marine Technology 4th Quarter 2008 23
OMT_4Q08_p18+19+20+21+23.indd Sec2:23 10/20/08 2:31:13 PM
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