BW Energy on Monday announced it has achieved first oil from the Hibiscus / Ruche Phase 1 development in the Dussafu license offshore Gabon.
"Production performance from the first well has been in line with expectations and is currently stabilized at approximately 6,000 barrels per day," the Oslo-listed E&P company said in a statement.
"We delivered first oil from Hibiscus / Ruche on schedule with an excellent HSE performance. This represents the first of several steps on a path for successive production growth in Gabon as we complete the drilling program and asset upgrades through 2023 and into early 2024," said Carl Krogh Arnet, CEO of BW Energy.
The DHIBM-3H well was drilled from the BW MaBoMo, former jack-up drilling rig which has been repurposed as an offshore production facility, to a depth of 3,883 meters into Gamba sandstone reservoir on the Hibiscus field. Drilling operations commenced at the start of the year following the installation of the production facility, risers and pipelines. The oil produced at Hibiscus / Ruche is transported by pipeline to the BW Adolo floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) for processing and storage before offloading to oil tankers.
The Hibiscus / Ruche Phase 1 drilling campaign targets four Hibiscus Gamba and two Ruche Gamba wells which are expected to add approximately 30,000 barrels per day of total oil production when all wells are completed in early 2024, BW Energy said. The wells are drilled by the Borr Norve jackup rig.
Separately, the installation of the gas lift compressor is ongoing on the BW Adolo with focus on commissioning and start-up following first oil from Hibiscus / Ruche, which had priority during the high-activity period onboard the FPSO.
"Our priority now is to complete start-up activities and stabilize production from the DHIBM-3H well. In parallel, work progresses towards start-up of the new gas lift compressor to support production from the existing six Tortue wells while also moving ahead with drilling of the next Hibiscus / Ruche production wells as planned," Arnet said.