Project Profile
Value: Undisclosed
Location: 5(a), 6 and E, 50 miles (80 kilometres) offshore the eastern coast of Trinidad and Tobago
Start-up Year: July 2006
Reserves: 1 Tcf (28.3 Bcm) of natural gas.
Production: 116 mcf of natural gas (2015)
Made up of three blocks 5(a), 6 and E, about 50 miles (80 kilometres) offshore the eastern coast of Trinidad and Tobago, the East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) presently holds four major gas fields, namely the Dolphin, Dolphin Deep, Starfish and Manatee.
The first field to be discovered within the ECMA, the Dolphin gas field is estimated to hold some 1 Tcf (28.3 Bcm) of natural gas. With installation taking place in 1995, Dolphin was developed via eight platform wells. Coming on-line in March 1996, the Dolphin development set the stage for the ECMA project, supplying some 275 MMcf/d (7.8 MMcm/d) of natural gas to the National Gas Company (NGC) in a 20-year agreement. Converted to LNG for distribution worldwide, Dolphin natural gas is currently supplied to the Atlantic Train 3 and Atlantic Train 4, and an additional contract is scheduled to commence in 2009. Furthermore, the companies signed another sales agreement for Dolphin gas in 2007, committing another 220 MMcf/d (6.2 MMcm/d) of natural gas for domestic use. With this agreement, another drilling campaign commenced on the Dolphin gas field in late 2007. Five additional development wells are being drilled on the field to increase production from the field.
ECMA gas is transported from the original Dolphin development via two pipelines to shore. The first pipeline delivers gas to the NGC by connecting to the Poui platform and then linking to the domestic network. Another subsea pipeline extends from the Dolphin facilities to the Beachfield receiving terminal and from Beachfield, the gas is routed through the Cross Island Pipeline system, ultimately connecting with Atlantic LNG. Awarded to Acergy (formerly Stolt Offshore) in an US$80 million contract, this 60-mile (96-kilometre) subsea pipeline was built in 2006.
Operators:
BG Group: Operator with 50% interest
Chevron: 50% interest
Contractors:
Acergy: Construction of the Cross Island Pipeline
Xodus Group: US$3.2 million FEED study launched in February and will be completed later this summer, involving a produced water systems upgrade
Seaway Heavy Lifting: Transportation and installation contract for the Dolphin Module