ExxonMobil Corp. announced last week that its new Jade platform in Zafiro field off Equatorial Guinea has started production from its first well at a rate of more than 12,000 b/d. The platform is about 35 miles offshore on Block B.
The $560 million Jade project pushes current production from the ExxonMobil-operated Zafiro field to more than 112,000 b/d, says the firm. Eventually, the platform will contribute about 60,000 b/d to field production when Jade output peaks in 2002.
ExxonMobil estimates ultimate recoverable resources from Zafiro field at more than 400 million bbl of oil. There are 22 producing wells in the field, and 17 wells should be completed from the Jade platform in the next 18 months.
James T. Hackett, chairman of project partner Ocean Energy Inc., said, "The first well is flowing above our original estimates, and we are encouraged about the ramp-up in production that should occur during the rest of the year."
Located in 550 ft of water, the 40-slot conventional steel jacket platform has an integrated drilling rig and is capable of producing 60,000 b/d of oil. The rig is now being used to complete new wells, including development of satellite reservoirs in the eastern portion of the field through the use of extended-reach drilling, says ExxonMobil.
Production from the platform is being stored in the Zafiro floating production, storage, and offloading vessel and an associated floating storage and offloading vessel. It is exported from the FPSO-FSO complex by tankers via a single-point mooring buoy.
The Jade platform was brought on-stream in just 36 months, "a fast-track accomplishment that included some 14 months of design work, and approximately 22 months for construction," said ExxonMobil.
An ExxonMobil subsidiary, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., is operator of the Zafiro field and Jade platform with a 71% working interest. Other partners include Ocean Energy (23.75%) and the government of Equatorial Guinea.
ExxonMobil produces more than 300,000 b/d (net) in and off Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria. "Added to our long list of world-class development opportunities offshore Angola and Nigeria as well as onshore in Chad, ExxonMobil is positioned for significant volume growth in Africa well into the future," the firm said.