Ophir Energy PLC has contracted Fugro NV to perform autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) surveys as well as geotechnical, environmental, and metocean surveys at its Fortuna project, 140 km west of Bioko Island, where Ophir is planning a large floating LNG installation and associated subsea structures (OGJ Online, Nov. 7, 2014).
The surveys and offshore operations are scheduled for completion in January 2016. The Fugro Searcher, Fugro Scout, and Fugro Frontier vessels have been deployed for the work.
The Fortuna project lies on Block R offshore Equatorial Guinea in 1,600 m of water. The block borders Nigerian waters about 60 km southeast of Zafiro oil and gas field. Ophir has said the Fortuna complex’s eastern lobe holds 553 bcf of mean in-place natural gas, of which 426 bcf is estimated as recoverable (OGJ Online, Aug. 27, 2012).
Block R is owned 80% by Ophir and 20% by the national oil company GEPetrol.
