TotalEnergies is spending at least US$3.7Bn to develop ultra-deepwater oil and gas fields offshore Angola with a large floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel and a network of subsea infrastructure
The French energy major has awarded three contracts to Milan, Italy-headquartered Saipem covering production structures and the FPSO for the Kaminho project in Block 20.
More investment will be needed to cover drilling the development wells and supplying the wellheads for this project, one of the biggest currently underway in West Africa, and estimated to ultimately cost US$6Bn.
Saipem is responsible for engineering, procurement, construction, transport and commissioning of the Kaminho FPSO, which will process hydrocarbons from the Cameia and Golfinho oil fields.
TotalEnergies also requires Saipem to provide operations and maintenance for this FPSO for 12 years with a potential eight-year extension. Saipem said it will use its experience in operating three other FPSOs in Angola for this project.
TotalEnergies said the FPSO, the first to be installed in the Kwanza basin, will be a converted very large crude carrier and will have electric power, some from renewables, while emissions will be minimised as associated gases will be reinjected into the reservoir and routine flaring eliminated.
A third contract involves the engineering, procurement, supply, construction, installation, precommissioning, assistance for the commissioning and start-up of a subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines package.
This covers 30 km of 8-inch and 10-inch diameter subsea flowlines and risers, and umbilicals, while the associated structures will be fabricated in Saipem’s local yard in Ambriz.
For the offshore campaign, and specifically for the J-lay flowline work, Saipem will deploy its deepwater field development vessel FDS and use the local supply chain for logistics, offshore support and fabrication activities.
Production is expected to begin in 2028, with a plateau of 70,000 barrels of oil per day. TotalEnergies operates Block 20/11 with a 40% stake, with Malaysia’s Petronas holding another 40%, and Angola’s state energy group Sonangol 20%.
“Building on our pioneering spirit and our long-term partnership with Angola, we are pleased to launch the Kaminho project along with our strategic partners, Sonangol and Petronas,” said TotalEnergies chief executive and chairman Patrick Pouyanné.
“This project, which leverages innovation to fit with our investment criteria - breakeven under US$30 per barrel and carbon intensity of 16 kg CO2e/boe - will become our seventh FPSO in the country and the first-ever development in the Kwanza basin.”
TotalEnergies will work with Sonangol to develop technology to promote innovation and low-carbon technologies for the energy industry in Angola, “in particular to slash methane emissions and contribute to the diversification of Angola’s energy mix,” said Mr Pouyanné.
TotalEnergies and Sonangol also signed a memorandum of understanding to share expertise on research and technology, notably in decarbonising the oil and gas industry, with a strong focus on methane emissions reduction and renewable energies.
The oil major’s teams will provide support to Sonangol for the start-up and operation of its new Sumbe research and development centre and the development of skills of the Sonangol research and technology teams, with a focus on reservoir geology, process electrification and photovoltaics.
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