Bahr Es Salam (Structures B&C)

Location

The field is situated within Block NC41 in the Mediterranean Sea, approximately 110-120 kilometers northwest of Tripoli, Libya. The exact coordinates are 33.7566, 12.6781 (WGS 84).

Operator and Ownership

The field is operated and owned by Mellitah Oil & Gas (MOG), which is a joint venture between Eni (50%) and the National Oil Corporation (NOC) of Libya (50%).

Project Details

Status and Production Start

The field has been in operation since 2005, with production starting as part of the Bahr Essalam Phase I project.

Field Structure

The Bahr Essalam field is subdivided into several areas, including the Western, Central A, Central B, and Eastern areas. The Central B area, which is part of Structures B&C, is one of the primary production areas.

Production

• Gas Production: The field produces significant amounts of gas. Phase I produced approximately 600 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD), and Phase II increased this to 1,100 MMSCFD.
  • Annual gas production from the field was reported at 11,369 million cubic meters (million m³/y) in 2018 and 2019.
• Oil Production: There is also a small amount of oil production, with an annual rate of about 12.78 million barrels per year (million bbl/y) as of 2012.
• Condensate: The field produces condensate, although specific annual production figures for condensate are not detailed in the sources provided.

Reserves

• Gas Reserves: The total gas reserves are estimated at 260 billion cubic meters (bcm). This includes:
  • Associated gas: 113.6 million cubic meters (original 1P reserves as of 2016)
  • Non-associated gas: 36.8 million cubic meters (original 1P reserves as of 2016).

Development Phases

Phase I

• Involved the development of the C Western area with 11 subsea wells and the C Central B area with 15 platform wells.
• Production from the C Western area is conveyed to the Sabratha process platform via two subsea flowlines.

Phase II

• Began production in July 2018, increasing the total field production by 400 MMSCFD.
• This phase primarily involves the development of the C Central A area and C East area, along with upgrades to the Sabratha production platform.
• Ten wells are being developed in the C East area, and three wells in the C Central A area.

Infrastructure and Facilities

Offshore Facilities

• The Sabratha platform is a key facility, processing gas and condensate from the various areas of the field.
• Subsea facilities include subsea wells, flowlines, and subsea isolation valve (SSIV) structures.

Onshore Facilities

• The onshore Mellitah complex is equipped with separate facilities to process oil and gas produced from the Bahr Essalam field and the onshore Wafa field.
• The complex includes three trains for gas and two trains for condensate, with a capacity to treat 695 MMSCFD of sales gas, 31,000 barrels per day of liquids, and 450 tons of solid sulfur.

Contractors and Partners

• Saipem and Rosetti Marino were involved in the engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCM) for the subsea production and transportation systems under Phase I.
• Technip (now part of TechnipFMC) was awarded a contract for EPCM services, design, and pre-commissioning services for the subsea facilities under Phase II.

Economic and Strategic Significance

• The Bahr Essalam field is Libya’s largest offshore producing gas field, playing a crucial role in supplying gas to the national network and supporting the country's energy needs.
• The project is significant for the Libyan economy, helping to reduce costly liquid fuel imports and supporting the development of the domestic market.