Greater Tortue Ahmeyim
- Type: Rig
- complex
- Latitude: 15.9670000
- Longitude: -17.6620000
Location and Geology
The GTA project is situated in ultra-deep waters, approximately 120 km offshore, at a water depth of about 2,850 meters. The project spans across the C-8 block off the shore of Mauritania and the Saint-Louis Offshore Profond block in Senegal.
Ownership and Partners
The project is jointly developed by BP, Kosmos Energy, Societe des Petroles du Senegal (Petrosen), and Societe Mauritanienne des Hydrocarbures (SMHPM), with BP acting as the operator. The ownership structure is as follows:
- Saint-Louis Offshore Profond block (Senegal): BP (60%), Kosmos Energy (30%), and Petronas (10%).
- C-8 block (Mauritania): BP (62%), Kosmos Energy (28%), and SMHPM (10%).
Gas Reserves
The GTA field is estimated to contain approximately 15 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of recoverable gas reserves, spread over an area of about 33,000 km².
Discovery and Development History
- 2015: The Tortue field was discovered by the Tortue-1 exploration well.
- 2016: The Ahmeyim and Guembeul gas fields were discovered by the Ahmeyim-2 and Guembeul-1 wells, respectively.
- December 2016: BP acquired a majority stake from Kosmos Energy.
- February 2018: Mauritania and Senegal signed an inter-government co-operation agreement to develop the cross-border gas project.
- December 2018: The final investment decision (FID) for phase one was reached.
Phase One Development
- Production Capacity: The first phase is expected to produce 2.3-2.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG.
- Infrastructure:
- The project involves an ultra-deepwater subsea production system with four gas production wells tied back to a mid-water floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel.
- The FPSO, built at the COSCO Qidong Shipyard in China, will process the gas, removing condensate, water, and other impurities. It is equipped with eight processing and production modules and can process up to 500 million standard cubic feet per day (Mmscfd) of gas.
- The processed gas will be transferred via a subsea pipeline to a nearshore floating LNG (FLNG) facility, the Gimi FLNG, which is a converted LNG carrier. The FLNG is capable of producing 2.3-2.5 mtpa of LNG.
- Logistics and Operations: The FPSO and FLNG facilities are being readied for operation, with the FPSO having arrived at its final location. The project involves significant logistics support, including the transportation of the FPSO from China and the installation of subsea pipelines and infrastructure.
Phase Two Development
- Production Capacity: Phase two is expected to increase production capacity, potentially up to 5 million tonnes per year, although this phase is currently being reevaluated for better optimization and economic maximization.
- Final Investment Decision: The FID for phase two is expected by late 2022 or early 2023, subject to ongoing optimization and concept development.
Commercial and Market Aspects
- LNG Offtake: BP Gas Marketing will off-take the entire LNG output from the GTA phase one development project.
- Local Consumption: Some of the gas will be allocated for domestic consumption in Mauritania and Senegal.
Technical and Engineering Highlights
- FPSO Details: The FPSO is made of over 81,000 tonnes of steel, 37 km of pipe spools, and 1.52 million meters of cable. It will accommodate up to 140 workers during normal operations.
- FLNG Details: The Gimi FLNG facility, converted from a 125,000 m³ LNG carrier at Keppel Shipyard in Singapore, will be used under a 20-year lease and operation agreement with Gimi MS Corporation.
Challenges and Delays
The project has faced delays due to COVID-19 and cost inflation, with the start of commercial production now expected in the last quarter of 2023.
Local Workforce Development
BP has focused on local workforce development, creating a national technician training program to support the project’s buildout and ensure long-term operational capabilities.
In summary, the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project is a complex, deepwater gas development that marks one of the deepest offshore projects in Africa, with significant implications for the energy sectors of Mauritania and Senegal, as well as the global LNG market.
Flag | Name | Type | Date |
---|---|---|---|
BRITISH SPONSOR | Tanker | 11/7/2024 |