French supermajor Total has started production from its Moho Nord deepwater development, 75km offshore Congo.
The project, with 100,000 b/d capacity, is the biggest oil development to date in Congo and one of 10 developments Total is due to start-up in the next 17 months globally.
The Moho Nord field, part of the Moho Bilondo license, is being developed using 34 wells, 17 tied back to a new, 14,600-tonne tension leg platform (TLP), the first for Total in Africa, and 17 to Likouf, a new, 62,000-tonne floating production unit (FPU). Both the TLP and FPU were built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. The oil is processed on Likouf and then exported by pipeline to the Djeno onshore terminal, operated by Total.
The Moho Bilondo field has been produced since 2008, using the Alima FPU in 750-1200m water depth. Moho Phase 1b, which came on stream in December 2015, saw 11 new wells tied back into Alima, adding 40,000 boe/d production.
Total says the facilities are designed to minimize their environmental footprint. There will be no routine flaring and the all-electric design improves energy efficiency by optimizing the amount of power needed to run the installations. All the produced water will be reinjected into the reservoir.
Total is the operator of the project with a 53.5% interest. Its partners are Chevron Overseas (Congo) Limited (31.5%) and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (15%).
Image: FPU Likouf, TLP and rig STAD. Image from Total.
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