Oil and gas giant BP has given a five-year brownfield services contract to Aker Solutions for its producing Greater Plutonio and PSVM fields located offshore Angola.
Image: Aker Solutions bags BP contract for Greater Plutonio and PSVM fields in Angolan waters. Photo: courtesy of Aker Solutions.
Under the contract, the Norwegian oil services company will be responsible for the brownfield modifications, maintenance and operations support of the Greater Plutonio and PSVM fields.
According to Aker Solutions, the scope of the contract includes supply of engineering, procurement, and construction services for brownfield projects on the floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels moored at the two offshore Angolan field.
Included in these are support for upgrades to process, chemical and marine support systems, and also refurbishment of ageing piping and equipment.
Aker Solutions CEO Luis Araujo said: “We are delighted to support BP in Angola, an important market for Aker Solutions.
“We have a strong record of successful delivery in Angola, having provided subsea support to key projects such as Dalia and Kaombo. We are now pleased to expand this offering to include topside maintenance, modifications and operations services in West Africa.”
The Greater Plutonio field, which is located 160km northwest of Luanda in Angola Block 18, is contained in water depths of 1,200-1,500m. It is made up of the Platina, Plutonio, Galio, Paladio and Cromio, Cobalto fields.
Discovered in 1999-2001, the Greater Plutonio field is the first operated asset of BP in Angola. It holds nearly 750 million barrels in reserves, making it one of the largest fields in Angolan waters.
Production at the Greater Plutonio field began in October 2007 following a $1bn worth field development program.
The PSVM field, which is located in the north-eastern sector of Block 31, 400km from Luanda, had produced its first oil in December 2012. It is made up of the Plutao, Saturno, Venus and Marte fields.
BP has been operating in Angola for over 25 years. In the 1990s, the oil and gas giant acquired stakes in four deep-water blocks in the Angolan waters.
In 2011, it acquired stakes in five new deep and ultra-deep water blocks contained in the Kwanza and Benguela basins, making Angola a key asset in its exploration and production portfolio.