Espoir

Espoir Oil and Gas Field Profile

Location

The Espoir Oil and Gas Field is located offshore in Côte d'Ivoire, specifically within Block CI-26. The coordinates for the field are 5.004, -4.465 (WGS 84).

Water Depth and Geology

The field is situated in deepwater, with a water depth of approximately 2,297 feet (700 meters).

Discovery and Development

• The Espoir field was discovered in 1985.
• The Final Investment Decision (FID) was made, though the exact year is not specified in the available sources.
• Production began in February 2002, with the first oil and gas production starting that year.

Operators and Ownership

• The field is operated by Canadian Natural Resources (CNR) International (Côte d'Ivoire) SARL.
• The ownership structure is as follows:
  • Canadian Natural Resources: 58.67%
  • Societe Nationale d’Operations Petrolieres de la Cote d’Ivoire (Petroci): 20.0%
  • Tullow Côte d'Ivoire: 21.33%.

Production Facilities and Infrastructure

• The production facilities include a 12-slot minimal platform with test separation only, located on East Espoir. The platform uses tender-assisted drilling.
• Oil production is processed on a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, which has a capacity to process 40,000 barrels of oil per day (b/d), inject water at up to 60,000 b/d, and provide compression for 60 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) for gas lift and export. The FPSO also stores up to 1 million barrels of oil.
• Gas is exported to the shore for power generation through a 15.5-km, 6-inch rigid flowline.

Production History and Reserves

• The field initially produced oil from two wells, with production ramping up over time. Peak oil production was achieved in 2006, reaching over 35,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd).
• The field has recovered 98.81% of its total recoverable reserves as of the latest data. The recoverable oil reserves were estimated at approximately 93 million barrels, and the recoverable gas reserves were estimated at about 5,096.98 million cubic meters (as of 2017).
• The overall oil in place was estimated at around 406 million barrels, with about two-thirds contained in the East Espoir area.

Production Life and Future Plans

• The field has a life expectancy of approximately 20 years from the start of production, with production expected to continue until it reaches its economic limit in 2027.
• An expansion project associated with the Espoir field is currently in the feasibility stage and is expected to start in 2025.

Contractors and Service Providers

• Key contractors involved in the project include BW Offshore, which operates the FPSO, and Subsea 7, which installed the flowline.

Production Metrics

• Peak oil production: Over 35,000 bopd.
• Gas sales plateau: 35 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).
• The field currently accounts for approximately 6% of Côte d'Ivoire's daily oil output.