Eni’s N’Goma FPSO is on station offshore Angola in deepwater Block 15/06 on the West Hub project where it is undergoing hookup after leaving the country’s Paenel yard following a naming ceremony.

Owned by Sonasing, a three-way joint venture between SBM Offshore, Sonangol and Angolan Offshore Services, the FPSO was being moored up by the SBM Installer vessel as DI went to press. Two modules for the re-converted FPSO, which previously served offshore Angola as the FPSO on the Xikomba field for eight years until it was disconnected in 2011 – have been built and installed at the Paenel yard.

For the West Hub project, the N’Goma unit has been equipped to produce up to 100,000 b/d of oil, process up to 115 MMcf/d of gas and provide 120,000 b/d of water injection.

The ship will be leased and operated by OPS – another JV between Sonangol and SBM Offshore – under a 12-year contract. First oil from West Hub is scheduled for the end of this year. West Hub encompasses three fields, Sangos, Cinguvu and Mpungi, and involves 21 subsea development wells, comprising 12 producers, four alternating water and gas wells, and another five water injectors.

The field lies in water depths ranging from 1,000-1,500 m (3,280-4920 ft) and the project – marking Eni’s return as a deepwater operator offshore Angola – will be followed by its East Hub development in the north-east of the block.

Offshore