Zaap

Overview

• The Ku-Maloob-Zaap oil field is a major oil production complex located in the Bay of Campeche, Gulf of Mexico, approximately 105 kilometers northwest of Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico.

Operator and Ownership

• The field is operated by Pemex, Mexico's state-owned oil company.

Location and Geology

• The field is situated in the territorial waters of the Gulf of Mexico, at a water depth of between 60 and 90 meters. It includes five heavy oil producing fields: Ku, Maloob, Zaap, Bacab, and Lum.
• The fields produce from the Kimmeridgian, Lower Paleocene-Upper Cretaceous, and Middle Eocene reservoirs.

History

• The Ku field was discovered in 1980, the Maloob field in 1984, and the Zaap field in 1991. First oil production from the Ku field began in 1981.
• In 2002, Pemex initiated an eight-year project to boost heavy crude output from the KMZ field, which involved significant investments and infrastructure development.

Infrastructure and Production

• The field utilizes 17 platforms, including seven drilling platforms, four production platforms, four accommodation platforms, one telecommunication platform, and one processing platform.
• The Yuum K’ak’ Naab FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading) vessel has a handling capacity of 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) and a processing capacity of 200,000 bpd, along with gas export capabilities.
• The field has a total of 170 oil-producing wells and includes 42 pipelines totaling 189 kilometers in length.
• Production levels have been significantly increased, reaching 839,200 bpd of crude oil in 2010 and aiming for 927,000 bpd at peak in 2013. The goal was to achieve one million barrels per day by 2015.

Production Statistics

• The KMZ field produces approximately 865,000 barrels of oil per day and 349 million cubic feet of gas per day.
• The field's total reserves are estimated at 4.9 billion barrels.

Enhanced Oil Recovery

• A key strategy involves injecting natural gas and nitrogen into the wells to enhance oil recovery. Pemex has made nitrogen supply contracts until 2027 for field pressure maintenance.

Contractors and Partners

• Several contractors have been involved in the development of the KMZ field, including SembCorp Marine, Keppel, Emtunga, Fluor, Saipem, Dragados Offshore, and others, each contributing to various aspects such as platform construction, FPSO conversion, and pipeline installation.

Economic Impact

• The KMZ field is crucial for Mexico's oil production, contributing significantly to the country's total crude output. Along with the Cantarell field, KMZ was responsible for 54% of Mexico’s total crude production in 2010.