Production has begun from the first phase of development of Manifa oil field offshore Saudi Arabia and is expected to reach 500,000 b/d by July.
The start-up was 3 months ahead of schedule, according to Saudi Aramco.
The company is developing the shallow-water Persian Gulf field with 27 man-made drilling islands, 13 platforms, and 15 onshore drillsites (OGJ Online, Feb. 23, 2011). The project includes 41 km of causeways and 3 km of bridges designed to maintain natural water flow in Manifa Bay.
A 420-Mw heat and electricity also has started up.
Manifa field, about 200 km northwest of Dhahran, is expected to be fully operational by December 2014, when production will be 900,000 b/d of Arabian Heavy crude oil, 90 MMscfd of sour natural gas, and 65,000 b/d of condensate.
