By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 7 -- BP Exploration (Angola) Ltd., a unit of UK-based oil major BP Group LLC, has awarded a contract for classification and verification of its planned Plutonio floating production, storage, and offloading vessel to Paris-based international classification and certification society Bureau Veritas.
The giant Plutonio FPSO, which will have a 2 million bbl storage capacity, is designed to handle 220,000 b/d over a 25-year life span. It will service six fields in Block 18 off Angola in 3,863 ft of water.
Following approval by Sociedade Nacional de Combustiveis de Angola (Sonangol EP) Angola's national oil company, BP will call for bids for construction of the Plutonio FPSO. Slated to be on stream in 2007, it will be anchored in deep water in Plutonio field with subsea tie-backs to Platina, Paladio, Galio, Cromio, and Cobalto fields within the block.
BP operates Block 18 on behalf of itself and 50:50% partner Royal Dutch/Shell Group. Front-end engineering and design currently is under way on the block's development (OGJ Online Sept. 18, 2002).
