The commissioning of substantial modifications at the Okume Field in Equatorial Guinea has been announced by international oil and gas company Trident Energy.
The upgrade will convert 15 gas lift wells to electrical submersible pumps (ESP) by the end of 2022, with the goal of unlocking the geological capacity of the complex – a conventional oil development located in deep water in Equatorial Guinea with five producing oilfields, namely Okume, Elon, Oveng, Akom North, and Ebano.
The upgrade is an important step toward increasing production in Equatorial Guinea, putting the company and the country in a stronger position as oil producers.
Trident Energy announced that it will expand Okume’s central processing facilities (CPF) to maximize production capacity, particularly in the areas of separation, injection, and power generation, in order to prepare for the ESP conversion.
Over 200,000 man-hours of work, 200 tons of structures, 700 piping spools, 250 valves, 15 kilometers of subsea power cables, several hundred fiber optics, eight electrical shelters, 35 kilometers of topside cables, new process units, and more are all included in the $57 million update.
The investment is a wonderful demonstration of Trident Energy’s approach to unlock the actual value of its mid-life oil and gas assets, according to a news statement, with the business now poised to commence the ESP conversion.
The upgrade’s goals are to extend and upgrade the CPF platform’s structure to support new equipment with cantilevers; add two new power turbines to allow for more ESPs and injection capacity; connect the Echo and Foxtrot platforms with high-voltage subsea cables to supply power; upgrade the separation process to handle incremental produced fluid and the water injection system to support reservoir pressure; and upgrade instrumentation and tethered equipment.
Trident Energy’s local team in Equatorial Guinea oversaw the improvement from start to finish, including project management, supply chain, logistics, and coordination. Local contractors contributed 55% of the services (in value); regional contractors provided 32%; and international contractors offered only 13% of the services, with Trident emphasizing the importance of local content throughout the project.
The project renovation heralds a new age of operational efficiency and production maximization for Equatorial Guinea, while it also marks a key step forward for Trident in enhancing output at one of the company’s high-potential complexes.
“Thru projects like the Okume upgrade, Trident Energy is making tremendous headway in expanding its footprint across Africa, ushering in a new era of operational efficiency and production gains.”
New exploration campaigns and drilling will be critical for Africa as production declines across legacy assets.
With five producing oil fields in the Okume complex, boosting output will be critical for both Equatorial Guinea and the continent as a whole.
Trident Energy’s efforts should be applauded in 2022, with the business making considerable success in expanding its oil and gas operations in Africa,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber (AEC).
Discussions around oilfield enhancement, optimizing production, and boosting efficiency across the oil and gas sector will be central at the 2022 edition of the continent’s main energy event, African Energy Week (AEW), which will take place from October 18-21, 2022.
AEW 2022 is a big believer in the importance of oil and gas in Africa’s energy future, and developments like Trident Energy’s upgrade will be a major priority.
Upgrades like this will be critical as the continent tries to boost oil production in the face of declining mature resources.