Production from the deepwater Jubilee oil field offshore Ghana is keeping managers at Kosmos Energy concerned as field output has slowed due to a restriction on gas exports.

Both the government of Ghana and the field partners – operator Tullow Oil and Kosmos Energy among others – are now aligned on progressing a gas export system for the field to avoid any production downturn, they say.

Kosmos chief executive Brian Maxted said in the company’s fourth quarter and 2013 full year results that work is underway to try and find an alternative route to take off Jubilee’s gas. “Due to continued delays in the gas export infrastructure and the resulting limits on gas disposition, the Jubilee field partners are actively pursuing various alternatives to handle the gas associated with Jubilee production. Discussions are ongoing with the Government of Ghana,” Maxsted said.

During the fourth quarter of last year Kosmos reported Jubilee production was at 93,000 boe/d, up on the third quarter 2013 average of 88,000 boe/d, due in part to a planned maintenance programme on the Jubilee FPSO carried out last September. Since the start of this year Jubilee production has averaged 104,000 boe/d.

“Reservoir performance from Jubilee continues to be strong as demonstrated by the increase in our year-end proved reserves,” commented Darrell McKenna, chief operating officer at Kosmos. He went on: “From a facilities standpoint, the Jubilee field partners and the Government of Ghana are working to address gas-related surface constraints, which are currently limiting oil production from the Jubilee field.”