Gas output to decline by 150 million standard cubic feet per day
Nigeria’s oil exports will fall by 225,000 barrels per day in February due to planned maintenance on the Bonga FPSO.
Gas output will also decline by 150 million standard cubic feet per day during the maintenance period.
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd. (SNEPCo) confirmed the development on Sunday.
Communications Manager Gladys Afam-Anadu said SNEPCo began the Bonga FPSO turnaround maintenance.
She called it a statutory integrity programme to extend the facility’s lifespan.
Managing Director Ronald Adams said maintenance will ensure safe, efficient operations for another 15 years.
“The scheduled maintenance is designed to reduce unplanned deferments and strengthen the asset’s overall resilience.
“We expect operations to resume in March after the turnaround,” he said.
Adams said this includes inspections, certification, regulatory checks, upgrades, modifications, and subsea work.
“The FPSO, 120 kilometres offshore in over 1,000 metres of water, can produce 225,000 barrels of oil daily.
“It also produces 150 million cubic feet of gas daily,” Adams said.
He said maintaining the facility is key to Nigeria’s production stability, energy security, and revenue.
Adams noted that the 2024 Final Investment Decision on Bonga North increases the FPSO’s importance.
He said the turnaround readies the facility for volumes from the Bonga North subsea tie-back project.
The last turnaround maintenance was in October 2022, he said.
“On Feb. 1, 2023, the asset produced its one billionth barrel since 2005 operations began,” Adams said.
SNEPCo operates the Bonga field with Esso and Nigerian Agip under a production sharing contract with NNPC Ltd.
