bp Angola has started production from the Platina project in Block 18 of the ultra-deep waters of the Lower Congo basin, offshore Angola (OGJ Online, Mar. 10, 2020).
Platina is a subsea tie-back development to the existing Greater Plutonio floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. It will access an estimated 44 million bbl of oil reserves and, at peak, is expected to add 30,000 b/d of oil to the block’s production.
The project was delivered 44 days ahead of schedule and 25% below the original budget. Its development increased expected recoverable resilient reserves by 10%.
Platina, the development of which was approved in December 2018, is the first new development on Block 18 since Greater Plutonio started up in 2007. It is bp’s first new operated development in Angola since the start of production from the PSVM development in Block 31 in 2012.
Platina is the seventh new project to start production for bp worldwide in 2021. It follows new projects in Egypt, India, Trinidad, two in the US Gulf of Mexico, and an earlier project on Block 17 offshore Angola.
bp Angola is the operator of Block 18 with a 46% stake. Partners are Sinopec (37.72%) and Sonangol P&P (16.28%).
