Project Profile

Location: Block CI-26, 19km offshore south of Jacqueville, and 60km southwest of Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Reserves: 93 million barrels of oil and 180 billion cubic feet of natural gas
Water depth: 100 - 600m
Start-up year: 2002

The Espoir field lies in Ivory Coast block CI-26, 19km offshore south of Jacqueville, and 60km south-west of Abidjan. In water depths ranging from 100m to 600m, the field has estimated recoverable reserves of 93 million barrels of oil and 180 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The Espoir field has a life expectancy of 20 years, with a peak oil production rate of over 35,000 bopd and a gas sales plateau of 35 mmscfd. The first phase came into peak production at the end of 2002. The development was centred on a wellhead tower covering the eastern part of the reservoir, and an FPSO. The second phase of development involved placing an additional wellhead tower and drilling in the western lobe of the reservoir. The wellhead tower at West Espoir was installed in November 2005 and first production began in mid-2006. Development drilling was completed in 2008, and infill drilling will start in 2012.

The Espoir field is operated by Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNR). Originally operated by Phillips Petroleum in the 1980s, Canadian Natural acquired a 36.33% equity in the field with its acquisition of Ranger Oil in July 2000. In May 2001, Canadian Natural acquired an additional stake and has a 58.67% equity in Espoir, with partners Petroci Holding (20%) and Tullow Cote d\'Ivoire (21.33%). Originally thought to be uneconomic, the field has become commercially viable due to modern drilling and production techniques, secondary oil recovery and an improved production sharing contract. The field came onstream in 2002 at a rate of 8,500bopd. This was ramped up to 30,000bopd and the production of associated natural gas increased to 30 million cubic feet per day, as six more wells were completed from the East Espoir wellhead tower. The Emien prospect was drilled from the East Espoir wellhead tower in mid-2002, allowing a successful discovery to be put into production immediately. The potential of the region was also enhanced by a discovery during 2001 in block CI-40, immediately south of Espoir.

The oil company CNR International has exercised the option to extend the fixed term of the lease contract for FPSO Espoir Ivoirien from 2017 to 2022.  (July, 2016)

Operators:

Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNR): Operator with 58.67% interest

Petroci Holding: 20%% interest

Tullow Cote d\'Ivoire: 21.33% interest


Contractors:

BW Offshore: FPSO contract (In July, 2016 the fixed term of the lease contract for FPSO Espoir Ivoirien was extended from 2017 to 2022)

Deep Casing Tools: Supply Turbocaser Express™ and Turborunner™ technology

Prosafe: Convert the Suezmax tanker MT White Sea into FPSO

SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd: Through SapuraKencana Drilling Holdings Ltd the company won a drilling rig and services contract for its tender assist drilling rig SKD T-20 from CNR International (Côte d’Ivoire) SARL involving the use of SKD T-20 for wells in the Espoir Field in Block CI-26 offshore Côte d’Ivoire