Project Profile
Value: Undisclosed
Location: South Gabon sub-basin
Start-up Year: April 2009
Reserves: 50m to 80m barrels
Water Depth: 30 metres
Area: 1,271km²
Olowi Field is situated at a water depth of 30m about 12 miles off the coast of Gabon. The field lies in the South Gabon sub-basin of the Olowi block which is spread over 1,271km². Operated by Canadian Natural Resources International(CNRI), the field started producing in April 2009.
The field is estimated to contain proven plus probable recoverable oil reserves of 50m to 80m barrels.The Olowi field was discovered by Pioneer Natural Resources with the drilling of the Olowi Marin-1 discovery well in 2001. The well encountered 75ft thick reservoir sands and flowed at a rate of 2,100 barrels of oil per day (bopd). CNRI acquired the field from Pioneer in October 2005. CNRI commenced the first phase of drilling at the field in 2008. KCA Deutag's Ben Avon jack-up rig was contracted for three years to carry out drilling at the field. The development plan for the field includes three wellhead platforms and a conductor support platform with 44 wells slots which are connected to the Knock Allan FPSO. Drilling activities on platform A commenced in the third quarter of 2010. In October 2010, the first well of platform A started producing at a rate of 2,500bbl/d.
Fred Olsen Production was awarded the contract to convert the Suezmax tanker Knock Allan into the Knock Allan FPSO in November 2006. The contract was for a 10-year lease with 10 one year extension options.
Saipem was awarded the engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for the wellhead platforms. The company is also responsible for installing subsea pipelines, risers and umbilical systems between the Knock Allan FPSO and the platforms. INTECSEA carried out the Flow Assurance FEED for the Olowi field. Scope of work for the company included examining whether the planned production facilities were suitable for the field. Fred Olsen Production awarded a US$66m contract to Kanfa to design and fabricate the topside facilities of the FPSO.
Kanfa subcontracted Allards International to design, fabricate and test the heat exchangers for the topsides of the FPSO. Allards was responsible for engineering, design, fabrication and testing of the inlet and interstage heat exchangers for the Knock Allan FPSO. The materials used for the heat exchangers included acarbon steel shell, channel and tubes. The inlet heat exchangers contained 360 tubes and weighed 7,560kg. The interstage heat exchangers contained 301 tubes and weighed 2,700kg. Allards completed fabrication of heat exchangers in November 2007. Claxton carried out the installation of the topside modules of the FPSO. Dresser Rand supplied two 27MW steam turbines for the FPSO. Other contractors involved in the completion of the FPSO were ABB, ASAC, Harland & Wolff, Vryhoff and Kongsberg.
Inocean, Aalborg, Håkonsen Marine / Ingenium and Hamworthy were also involved in the conversion. BJ Services was awarded a contract for supplying casing and tubing running services for the 29 wells of the field. In June 2009 Saipem awarded Tideland Signal, a contract for supplying navigational warning systems for the field's wellhead platforms.
On two separate occasions in 2011 and 2012, production at Olowi was temporarily halted because of a mid-water arch failure. It was stabilized in mid-August 2011 and then for a second time in the first quarter of 2013. The difficulties meant forecasts for production languished at 5,000 - 6,000 bpd in 2011, far below the 20,000 bpd target, contributing towards a C$672 million (US$694 million) impairment booked by CNRI in July 2012.
Operators:
CNRI: Operator with 100% interest
Contractors:
Fred Olsen Production: Convert the Suezmax tanker Knock Allan into the Knock Allan FPSO and design and fabrication of the topside facilities of the FPSO.
Saipem: Engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for the wellhead platforms and the company is also responsible for installing subsea pipelines, risers and umbilical systems between the Knock Allan FPSO and the platforms.
INTECSEA: Flow Assurance FEED for the field
Claxton: Installation of the topside modules of the FPSO
Dresser Rand: Supply of two 27MW steam turbines for the FPSO.
BJ Services: Contract for supplying casing and tubing running services for the 29 wells of the field.
ABB: Involved in the completion of the FPSO
ASAC: Involved in the completion of the FPSO
Harland & Wolff: Involved in the completion of the FPSO
Vryhoff: Involved in the completion of the FPSO
Kongsberg: Involved in the completion of the FPSO
Inocean: Involved in the conversion
Aalborg: Involved in the conversion
Håkonsen Marine / Ingenium: Involved in the conversion
Hamworthy: Involved in the conversion
Subcontractors:
Allards International: Design, fabrication and test of the heat exchangers for the topsides of the FPSO and engineering, design, fabrication and testing of the inlet and interstage heat exchangers for the Knock Allan FPSO.
Tideland Signal: Supplying navigational warning systems for the field's wellhead platforms.