Updating progress on the Sea Lion development offshore the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, operator Premier Oil has confirmed a FEED study for the subsea side of the development is now underway with Xodus in London.

Another FEED contract is also being tendered for the provision of a Floating Storage and Offloading unit for the field. Amec, meanwhile, is progressing with the FEED for Sea Lion’s surface facilities, which will be a Tension-Leg Platform (TLP) as previously reported. This new unit is being designed with 120,000 bbl/d of oil production capacity; 230,000 bbl/d of liquids handling and 253,000 bbl/d of water injection capacity, and it will also be specified to provide 165 MMcf/d of gas compression, according to a new presentation from Premier.

The TLP will be built to UK regulations, have a displacement of 99,000 tonnes, feature up to 36 well slots, and provide accommodation for up to 200 people. “Market engagement for fabrication [has] commenced,” Premier adds.

The TLP FEED is being managed by Amec from London, while the hull construction subcontract was already awarded to Houston Offshore Engineering (HOE), and the topsides rig design sub-contractor is London-based RDS.

Up to US $3.8 billion of capex is now indicated by Premier for the project up until first oil, which is based on 308 MMbbl of appraised reserves and upside in a western flank of the field. A second phase is indicated with another 87 MMbbl of discovered oil, and “significant exploration upside.” (See DI’s “Phase Two Of Sea Lion In The Swim” story)