Project Profile
Value: US$600 million
Location: 131 kilometes northwest of Coatzacoalcos, state of Veracruz, only 55 kilometres distant from the nearest shore, Gulf of Mexico, Mexico
Area: unknown
Reserves: 1.3 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of 3P
Depth: 988 metres of water depth
Capacity (processing facility): 500 million cubic feet per day (cf/d)
Start-up Year: end of 2016
Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) is expecting the future constitution in Mexico to boost the development of the deep offshore gas field Lakach in the southern part of the Gulf of Mexico. In 2005, Pemex launched a large exploration campaign in the Mexico deep water of the Gulf of Mexico in order to compensate the depletion of old fields such as the giant Cantarel. Along this campaign, Pemex discovered the Lakach non-associated gas field by 988 metres of water depth. After several exploration and appraisal wells, Lakach was estimated in 2013 to hold 1.3 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of 3P gas reserves with still significant upsides to be tested. Located 131 kilometes northwest of Coatzacoalcos in the state of Veracruz, Lakach is distant from the nearest shore by only 55 kilometres. Because of its short distance from shore Pemex considered immediately to develop Lakach as a tie-in directly connected onshore despite all the challenges related to the deep water. In March 2013, Pemex awarded the project management consultancy (PMC) contract to a consortium made of the engineering companies Petrofac and Doris Engineering (Doris). Through this PMC contract, Petrofac and Doris provide Pemex with their technical expertise in subsea production system from the design phase to the construction and start-up in Lakach. In the meantime, Pemex has called for tender the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for the three main packages:
- Subsea Production System
- Export pipelines from the seabed to shore
- Onshore gas central processing facility (CPF)
- Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) based on chemical injection
Despite the 55 kilometres from shore the steep relief of the seabed imposes the export pipeline to make a 142 kilometres loop before reaching the shore. Then Pemex intends to deploy the deep offshore technology introduced for Lakach to the neighboring gas fields in Piklis and Punah. In respect of all the still unexplored fields in this area, Pemex has sized the onshore gas central processing facility to 500 million cubic feet per day (cf/d). CPF gas CPF should be located at Lerdo de Tejada. In awarding the EPC contracts on mid-2014, Pemex expects to run Lakach as its first deep offshore project by end of 2016.
Operators:
Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex): Operator with 100% interest
Contractors:
Saipem: EPCI contract
Petrofac and Doris Engineering (Doris): Project management consultancy (PMC) contract
OneSubsea™ (Cameron and Schlumberger company): A subsea production systems contract totalling more than US$270 million. The scope of supply for the seven well system includes subsea production equipment and tooling. OneSubsea will also provide installation and commissioning services. Deliveries to begin in June 2016.
Wood Group: Three-year offshore engineering order by PEMEX Procurement International for field development in Mexico\'s Gulf of Mexico waters. The agreement, valued at up to US$28 million, encompasses deepwater and complex shallow water concept and basic engineering, and owner engineer services. Work will be performed by Wood Group Kenny and Wood Group Mustang and will comprise field development planning and engineering of topsides facilities; subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF); and floating systems.
Arendal (Mexico): to construct the gas collection plant.
Sub-contractors:
Aker Solutions: Order from Saipem to supply umbilicals for the Pemex-operated Lakach deepwater natural-gas field. Aker Solutions will deliver electro-hydraulic steel tube umbilicals of about 73 kilometres (45 miles) that will help connect Mexico\\\'s first subsea gas development to onshore processing facilities. The umbilicals will be manufactured in Mobile, Alabama, and the order will be completed in the third quarter of 2016.
Frames: completed two High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS), Frames designed a completely integrated skid mounted solution. This modular design reduces the number of interfaces and simplifies the certification of the HIPPS. (July, 2016)
Mokveld: completed two High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS) together with Frames. (July, 2016)