Total’s Ofon field platform takes off

Posted By: EMEKA UGWUANYI On: June 23, 2016 In: Energy

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Key oil industry stakeholders were at the sail away of the wellhead platform for oil production
from Ofon Phase 2. It is a shallow water field in oil mining lease (OML) 102 in 40 metres
water depth. Industry players highlighted the milestones achieved by the project. EMEKA
UGWUANYI was there.

The new wellhead platform of Ofon Phase 2 have been inaugurated. The ceremony took place at
Nigerdock’s Snake Island Integrated Free Zone in Lagos.

The operators said the primary objective of the platforms is to eliminate gas flaring from the field
and increase oil and gas production. The project is a boost to Nigerian content as all the activities
were carried out in-country by Nigerians.
Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG) Joint Venture Managing Director,
owners of the project, Mr. Nicholas Terraz, said the project meant a lot to Total JV. He said with
the completion of Ofon Phase 2 wellheads, Total was set to increase oil production at Ofon field
to 65,000 barrels per day (bpd) from 25,000bpd.

He said: “This delivery is, therefore, a key milestone in the Ofon 2 project. For the construction
of the Ofon 2 wellhead platforms, over five million man-hours of work were completed with
zero lost time injury. It opened a new chapter on the development of Nigerian Content. The first
project ever with so many facilities manufactured in Nigeria. Five of the seven main engineering,
procurement and construction (EPC) contracts were awarded to Nigerian firms.

“A pioneering achievement has been the Ofon living quarter platform, built in-country and
providing a safe and comfortable accommodation for staff working on the site, the first in
Nigeria. It will Increase production from 25,000 to 65,000bpd and also implementation of gas lift
activation. It will help to develop additional reserves with water injection to maintain reservoir
pressure and ensure an increased oil recovery, as well as improve operating conditions on site
with the installation of a new living quarter platform and various facilities upgrade.

“Delivery of the new wellhead platforms will pave way for the drilling of additional 24 wells and
ramp up of production to a plateau of 65,000bpd and three million cubic meters of gas per day.
This delivery is therefore, a key milestone in the Ofon 2 project.

“The project target was to stop routine gas flaring and monetise associated gas from Ofon field.
The flare out objective was successfully achieved in December 2014 and as a result Ofon phase 2
was awarded World Bank’s 2015 Global Gas Flaring Reduction Excellence Award. The first
new wells were drilled last year and the project achieved first oil in September 2015.

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu, represented by the Group General
Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Dafe Sejebor
corroborated the Total chief.

He said the project marks a significant step towards the government’s drive to increase and
sustain Nigeria’s daily target production, especially in the present phase of dwindling oil price
and incessant vandalism and sabotage of oil facilities. “Following years of diligent work,
commitment and challenges, we are indeed proud that our collective efforts have culminated to
this event. Today Ofon phase 2 can be considered a success after several years of investment in
capital and human resources. The more than five million man-hours of engineering for the
project done in-country immensely reflected the drive of government’s policy on local content
development. Government will continue to support efforts at increasing oil and gas reserves
which stand at 37.2 billion barrels,” he added.

Nigerdock Chairman Mr. Anwar Jarmakani called on the government and oil firms to support the
huge investment the firm has made in infrastructure, technology and manpower training by
giving the company more jobs to retain the over 3000 personnel trained to carry out such
projects.
Jarmakani said: “The Ofon platform project is the first EPC and onshore commissioning contract
awarded to an indigenous contractor. Following the start of this project, it has been a celebration
of one milestone after another, culminating into the full completion and delivery of the project
work scope. The project will bring about additional oil and gas production from 25,000 barrels of
oil equivalent (boe/d). It will also help to stop gas flaring on Ofon and deliver gas to to Bonny
LNG plant via Amenam field. This injection of gas feedstock will significantly boost the
domestic gas market and provide critical power for Nigeria’s domestic and industrial needs in
line with the Federal Government’s power sector objectives.

“A Jagal Energy Company, Nigerdock is West Africa’s leading indigenous company with
expertise in oil and gas construction, shipyard and marine services, logistics support and
industrial training. We have trained over 6000 personnel in our training facility recently and we
have developed world class systems and processes for Nigerdock driven by competent and
professional Nigerian workforce. In this high risk and HSE-critical work systems and
environment, Nigerdock has executed over five million man-hours of productivity and achieved
over three million man-hours without lost time incident.

“There is a serious lack of effective and efficient engineering services in-country which causes
escalating costs when work has to be outsourced overseas. Nigerdock currently provides
engineering services and management as demonstrated by the performance on this EPC contract
and will be a major enabler of improving the current in-country deficiencies. Our work methods
and systems are world class, which has been attested to by major oil and gas companies and
other customers. To keep this there needs to be a consistent flow of work. A stop-start
programme will simply keep us and the rest of the nation uncompetitive and we will never reach
our full potential.’’