E&P Highlights: July 15, 2024

From Equinor starting production at Kristin South to Eni awarding ABL with a warranty services contract, below is a compilation of the latest headlines in the E&P space.

Activity headlines

Freeport LNG in Texas starts taking in natgas after Hurricane Beryl

After a shut-in caused by Hurricane Beryl, Freeport LNG’s Texas export plant began pulling in small amounts of natural gas on July 11, according to data from financial firm LSEG.

The amount of natural gas flowing to Freeport was on track to reach about 100 MMcf/d on July 15, up from near zero from July 7 to July 10, according to LSEG. Beryl hit the Texas coast on July 8. In the week before Freeport shut in, the plant was pulling in an average of about 1.7 Bcf/d of gas.

Freeport is the nation’s third-largest LNG export plant behind Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass in Louisiana and Corpus Christi LNG Terminal in Texas.

Equinor starts production from Kristin South

Equinor and its partners Petoro, Vår Energi and TotalEnergies started production from the first Lavrans well in the Kristin South area on July 7.

The partnership’s plan was approved in 2022 for the development and operation of the Lavrans and Kristin Q discoveries as satellites to the Kristin field. This is the first phase of the Kristin South project.

A new subsea template has been installed and tied into the Kristin platform, which is now processing oil and gas from the first well at the Lavrans Field. The gas will be exported through the pipeline system to the European market, while the oil will be transported to the market by ship via the Åsgard C storage vessel.

Four additional wells are planned for the first phase of the Kristin South project, three at the Lavrans Field and one in the Q-segment at the Kristin Field. The latter will be drilled from an existing subsea template tying back to the Kristin SEMI.

The expected production in Phase 1 of the Kristin South project is estimated at a total of 58.2 MMboe.

Equinor operates the field with a 54.82% interest. Petoro holds a 22.52% stake, Vår Energi holds 16.66% and TotalEnergies holds the remaining 6%.

Wellesley Petroleum discovers oil and gas offshore Norway

Wellesley Petroleum has found proven oil and gas reserves at the Gnomoria Appraisal well in the North Sea, about 100 km southwest of Florø, the company announced July 10.

This is the first appraisal well to be drilled in PL 1184 S. Preliminary estimations of the size of the discovery, which sits in 363 m of water, range between 5 MMboe and 25 MMboe.

Gnomoria is located in an area with multiple discoveries. The licensees are considering a tie-back to existing infrastructure in the area.

CNOOC Makes Major Breakthrough in Bohai Bay

CNOOC Ltd., China’s state-owned oil company, announced a major exploration breakthrough at their Longkou 7-1 oilfield offshore Bohai Bay on July 15.

The discovery well LK7-1-1, which was drilled and completed at a depth of approximately 4,400 m, encountered a total of 76 m oil and gas pay zones. The well was tested to produce about 210 cu. m of crude oil and nearly 1 MMcm/d of natural gas, a new record for gas tested productivity in Bohai Bay.

This discovery comes on the heels of CNOOC’s announcement for their Bozhong 19-6 Condensate Gas Field D1 well, the first ultra-deep well in China’s Bohai Bay, achieving high yield.

Contracts and company news

ABS AIP for new gangway design from Pengrui and COSCO

On July 11, ABS issued approval in principle (AIP) to Nantong Pengrui Offshore Technology Co. Ltd and COSCO Shipping Shipyard Co. Ltd. for its design of an offshore access gangway.

The motion-compensated, active and passive gangway design provides efficient access for service operation vessels supporting wind turbines and offshore platforms.

Later this year, the gangway will be permanently fixed on the BOE DEMPSEY, a platform support vessel currently being converted into a construction service operation vessel to support wind farms in the South China Sea.

ABS completed design reviews based on class and statutory requirements.

Eni chooses ABL for marine warranty survey services on Congo LNG project

Italian oil and gas company Eni has selected ABL to deliver marine warranty survey services for Phase 2 of the Marine XII Congo LNG development project, the company announced July 12.

Phase 2 of the project involves the construction, transportation and installation of a new floating LNG (FLNG) vessel, as well as the conversion of a floating separation, storage and booster unit (FSU). It also includes the installation of wellhead platforms, associated tie-in pipelines and related offshore facilities in the Republic of Congo.

The scope of ABL’s contract encompasses a technical review of project documentation, suitability surveys for the marine fleet and on-site attendance to oversee warranted operations. 

ABL’s work will begin in 2024 until completion of the offshore work. ABL has been actively supporting Phase 1 of the project since February 2023.

ADNOC deploys AI-powered RoboWell technology at NASR offshore field

Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC) has announced the deployment of RoboWell, an AI autonomous well-control solution, at its NASR field, a fully digital offshore field 130 km north-west of Abu Dhabi.

RoboWell, a product of collaboration between ADNOC and Abu Dhabi-based AIQ, uses cloud-based AI algorithms to autonomously manage well operations to adapt to changing conditions. This technology is expected to enhance operational safety, increase efficiency and minimize the need for travel and physical interventions, which also reduces emissions, according to a July 12 press release.

RoboWell has been implemented across ten wells at NASR, with plans to extend the AI solution to more than 300 wells across ADNOC’s offshore and onshore operations within the year.

This initiative is said to be the world’s first offshore deployment of RoboWell. RoboWell’s first deployment occurred in 2023 at the onshore NEB field, ADNOC’s inaugural “smart field.”