The Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has given assurance that it is going ahead with its Bonga South West/Aparo (BSWA) project even in the face of dwindling oil prices.
Shell spokesman, Precious Okolobo said that the company is committed to the implementation of the project and that it is currently progressing the tender for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts to support the project.
Okolobo quoted the Managing Director, SNEPCo, Tony Attah as saying that: “We can confirm that we are currently progressing the tender for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts to support the project,” said Managing Director, SNEPCo, Tony Attah. “Although, the process has encountered some delays, we are optimistic for a final investment decision in the 2015/16 timeframe under the right conditions.”
He explained that the BSWA project includes the construction of a new floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) facility with an expected peak production of 225 thousand barrels of oil per day. The BSWA field straddles Oil Mining Leases (OML) 118, OML132 and OML140. SNEPCo is the Unit Operator of the BSWA Unitisation project pursuant to a Pre-Unit Agreement between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Esso Exploration & Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Ltd., Total E&P Nigeria Ltd., Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd., Texaco Nigeria Outer Shelf Ltd., Star Ultra Deep Petroleum Ltd., Sasol Exploration and Production Nigeria Ltd. and Oil and Gas Nigeria Ltd.
According to him, the Bonga project itself, which began production of oil and gas in 2005, is Nigeria’s first deep-water development in water depths over 1,000 metres.
In 2014, SNEPCo also started oil production at the Bonga North West deep-water development, with the oil transported by a new undersea pipeline to the existing Bonga FPSO and export facility. In November 2014, SNEPCo announced plans to drill eight more wells in the Bonga field in the third phase of the Bonga Main development adding that Bonga has produced over 500 million barrels of oil to date.
By Yemisi Izuora