Eni has started production at its Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) integrated oil and gas development on the Sankofa-Gye Nyame field, offshore Ghana.

The Italian oil and gas giant, Eni operates the OCTP block with a 44.44% stake. Vitol and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) hold 35.56% and 20% stake, respectively.

Eni has taken two and a half years following the approval of the development plan of the project to launch production, three months ahead of schedule.

The OCTP integrated oil & gas development comprises Sankofa Main, Gye-Nyame and Sankofa East fields.

Located about 60 kilometers off Western Region coast of Ghana, the fields have around 770 million barrel of oil equivalent (mboe) in place. This includes 500 million barrels of oil and 270 mboe of non-associated gas.

The project will see Eni and partners develop the gas fields with the output intended to serve the domestic market of Ghana.

Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi: “The launch of OCTP will provide gas to Ghana for over 15 years and the resulting electricity will give a real boost to the country’s development.”

Production will be carried out using the John Agyekum Kufuor floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO), which is expected to produce up to 85,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) by drilling 18 underwater wells.

The produced gas is planned to be transported via a 63km submarine pipeline to the Onshore Receiving Facilities (ORF) of Sanzule. It will undergo processing after which will be transmitted to the national grid to deliver around 180 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd).

Last year, Eni was awarded a new exploration license near the OCTP Block in the Cape Three Points Block 4. Eni expects to create synergies with OCTP to allow for a fast-tracked start-up if the exploring at the Cape Three Points Block 4 turns out to be successful.

Drilling of the first exploration well has been slated to take place next year, in continuity with the drilling of Block OCTP wells, stated Eni.


Image: The John Agyekum Kufuor FPSO in the Offshore Cape Three Points block. Photo: courtesy of Eni.