Vaalco lets subsea contract for Etame FPSO replacement

Vaalco Energy Inc. has let a contract to DOF Subsea ASA to perform subsea construction and installation services to support the subsea reconfiguration associated with the replacement of the existing floating production, storage, and offloading unit (FPSO) with a floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO) at Etame field, offshore Gabon.

Subsea work will consist of transporting over 5,000 m of new flexible pipelines to Etame from the UK, performing the retrieval and relocation of existing in-field flowlines and umbilicals, and assisting in connecting new risers.

The Cap Diamant, a double-hull crude tanker built in 2001 that is being re-engineered as the new FSO, arrived at a shipyard in Bahrain in late February for final modifications and certifications. Sea trials are expected to start in late June before being mobilized to Gabon (OGJ Online, Mar. 1, 2022).

DOF Subsea will provide all personnel, crew, and equipment necessary to assist with reconfiguring Etame field subsea infrastructure to flow field production to the replacement FSO. Engineering and design work in relation to the field infrastructure upgrade has been completed with subsea work expected to begin in July and be completed before the FSO is operational in September 2022.

Etame Marin block is in Congo basin about 32 km off the coast of Gabon. The license area is spread over five fields covering a total area of about 187 sq km. VAALCO is operator in Etame Marin field (63.6%) with partners Addax Petroleum Co. (33.9%) and PetroEnergy Resources Corp. (2.5%).