Saturno

Location

The PSVM fields are situated in the ultradeepwater area of Block 31, approximately 18 miles from each other, offshore Angola.

Production and Infrastructure

• Production from the PSVM fields began on December 6, 2012, with the first cargo of Saturno-branded crude offloaded from the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel on December 25, 2012.
• The FPSO PSVM has a production capacity of 157,000 barrels per day and a storage capacity of 2,000,000 barrels. It operates at water depths of 1,800 to 2,000 meters and is moored using a SOFEC external turret system.

Operator and Contract

• The project is operated by BP Exploration (Angola) Limited. MODEC was awarded the Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation (EPCI) contract for the FPSO PSVM in 2008.

Crude Oil Characteristics

• The Saturno Blend crude oil has the following characteristics:
  • API gravity at 60/60° F: 27.0
  • Density at 15° C: 0.8925 kg/l
  • Total sulfur content: 0.810 wt%
  • Mercaptan sulfur content: 0.0002 wt%
  • Viscosity at various temperatures (e.g., 40° C: 17.90 cst, 100° C: 3.82 cst)
  • Pour point: -42° C
  • Wax content: 6.0 wt%
  • Total nitrogen: 2,140 ppm (wt)
  • Basic nitrogen: 566 ppm (wt)
  • Acidity: 0.6310 mg KOH/g.

Fractional Yields

The crude is broken down into several fractions with specific yields and properties:

• 232-342° C fraction: Yield on crude (wt%): 17.679, Total sulfur: 0.307 wt%, Viscosity at 50° C: 3.11 cst, etc..
• 509-550° C fraction: Yield on crude (wt%): 5.655, Total sulfur: 1.180 wt%, Viscosity at 60° C: 220.00 cst, etc..
• 550-585° C fraction: Yield on crude (wt%): 4.525, Total sulfur: 1.290 wt%, Viscosity at 60° C: 648.00 cst, etc..

Conclusion

The Saturno oil project is a significant offshore oil production venture in Angola, characterized by its high production capacity and specific crude oil properties. The project is managed by BP and utilizes advanced FPSO technology provided by MODEC.