By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 4 -- Partners in West African Gas Pipeline Co. Ltd. (WAPCo) have agreed to move forward with the construction and implementation of the West African Gas Pipeline project, ChevronTexaco Corp. announced.
WAPCo will develop a detailed final project design, and the pipeline construction is expected to take 2 years. Start-up is expected in December 2006.
The estimated $590 million project will transport natural gas 420 miles from Nigeria to Benin, Togo, and Ghana. Capacity is expected to be 200 MMscfd initially and 470 MMscfd ultimately.
The gas is expected to be consumed 85% in power generation and 15% by industry. Use of gas will back out crude oil, charcoal, and diesel.
Gas will flow from a 20,000-hp onshore compressor station near the Alagbado tee at Lagos to a nearby beachhead and then offshore through a 20-in. pipe typically in 33-75 m of water to Takoradi in southwestern Ghana.
Intervening laterals will supply gas to Cotonou, Benin, Lome, Togo, and Tema, Ghana. Horizon Offshore Inc., Houston, will lay the offshore pipeline using the DLB Sea Horizon and the LB Brazos Horizon vessels.
Nigerian gas produced by ChevronTexaco and other operators will reach Lagos via spare capacity in the existing 800 MMscfd Escravos-Lagos pipeline.
ChevronTexaco West African Gas Pipeline Co. Ltd. is the project's managing operator and holds 38.2% of WAPCo. Other partners are Nigerian National Petroleum Corp. 26%, Shell Overseas Holdings Ltd. 18.8%, and Takoradi Power Co. Ltd. 17%.
The governments of Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo entered into a heads of agreement, under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States, in 1995 for the joint development of the pipeline project.
