Australian company BHP has selected three contractors to deliver an early engineering study for a Floating Storage and Offloading Unit (FSO) for the Trion field in the deep-water Gulf of Mexico, offshore Mexico.
The three companies are Altera Infrastructure (formerly known as Teekay Offshore), BW Offshore, and SBM Offshore.
The early engineering studies for the FSO have been awarded following a competitive tender process, and the work is anticipated to be completed this year.
BHP President Operations Petroleum, Geraldine Slattery, said: “This work reflects another advancement for the Trion project and we look forward to working with the selected contractors through this study phase. By engaging with the selected contractors now, we’re better enabled to optimize the design, and contracting and execution strategies for the FSO delivery.”
To remind, BHP in March confirmed that SBM Offshore, Technip USA, and McDermott, had been selected to deliver an early engineering study for a Semisubmersible Floating Production Unit (FPU) for the Trion field.
The Trion field sits in a water depth of approximately 8,200 feet (2,500 meters), approximately 19 miles (30 kilometers) south of the U.S./Mexico border, and approximately 112 miles (180 kilometers) from the Mexican coastline.
BHP acquired the Trion asset in Mexico’s first-ever Deepwater Bid Round in 2016. The Trion field encompasses an area of 1,285 square kilometers and is located in the Perdido belt at a water depth of approximately 2,570 meters. BHP is the operator holding a 60% interest in the development and PEMEX is the non-operating partner with a 40% interest.
The Australian company recently said that Trion held 222 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe) net 2C resources. The company expects additional exploration drilling in the Trion block in 2021, targeting the opportunity to tie back prospects to future Trion hub.
BHP has previously said that the final investment decision (FID) for the Trion development might be expected somewhere between late 2022 and mid-2023, with first oil in 2025, at the earliest.