BPZ secures tankers, fast tracks Corvina production

Oct. 25, 2007
BPZ has signed two short-term contracts with the Peruvian Navy for two tankers to transport oil earlier than slated from Corvina field on Block Z1 off northwestern Peru.

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 25 -- BPZ Energy has signed two short-term contracts with the Peruvian Navy for two 6,000-bbl tankers to transport oil earlier than scheduled from Corvina oil and gas field on Block Z1 off northwestern Peru.

The field is expected to begin production of about 2,500 b/d of oil in early November. Earlier this month, it tested 8,300 b/d of oil and 184 MMcfd of gas, mostly from the Lower Miocene Upper Zorritos formation (OGJ Online, Oct. 10, 2007).

BPZ plans to ramp up production from 2,500 bo/d to 4,000 bo/d using two barges when they become available at yearend or early next year.

BPZ previously announced that two barges, the Nomoku and the Nu'uanu, each with a capacity of about 40,000 bbl, had been leased and would be used as floating production, storage, and offloading facility and transport barges in the company's oil production operations. These barges are currently being outfitted with equipment in the port of Paita, but have encountered some delays due to scheduling.

The Nomoku will be used as an FPSO, moored at the CX11 platform, while the Nu'uanu will be used to transport oil between offshore Corvina field and Petroperu SA's 62,000 b/cd Talara refinery, 70 miles south of the BPZ's operations.