SNEPCo Kicks Off Turnaround Maintenance at Bonga
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has started a turnaround maintenance project on its Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel. This initiative is part of a commitment to statutory and integrity assurance, with the goal of extending the operational life of this key facility.
Ronald Adams, Managing Director of SNEPCo, shared, “This scheduled maintenance is crucial to ensure that the FPSO operates safely and efficiently for the next 15 years. It will help minimize unexpected production delays while enhancing the resilience of our asset. We anticipate resuming operations in March after the maintenance is completed.”
The maintenance work will encompass various tasks such as statutory inspections, certification and compliance checks, major integrity upgrades, and engineering modifications aimed at improving long-term operations and subsea reliability.
Located about 120 km offshore in depths exceeding 1,000 meters, the Bonga FPSO has a production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil and 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. Ensuring the integrity of this vital national asset is critical for maintaining stable production and supporting Nigeria’s broader energy, security, and revenue goals.
SNEPCo noted that this turnaround comes at a pivotal time for the company and its joint venture partners. With the Final Investment Decision on Bonga North planned for 2024, a subsea tie-back development that will rely on the dependability and enhanced capacity of the Bonga FPSO, the success of this maintenance is crucial for accommodating the increased operational demands associated with the new project.
The last turnaround maintenance for the FPSO occurred in October 2022, and on February 1 of the following year, the facility celebrated a significant milestone by delivering its one billionth barrel of oil since production began in 2005.
SNEPCo manages the Bonga field in collaboration with Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, operating under a Production Sharing Contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).
