The Akpo West Field, a tie-back project, is an offshore gas and condensate field operated by TotalEnergies (24%) and located on the PML2 license off the coast of Nigeria.
The Akpo West and Akpo Main fields are parts of the Akpo Field which was discovered in April 2000 by drilling of the first exploration well (Akpo 1) on the deepwater Oil Mining Lease (OML) 130 block.
The PML2 licence is operated by TotalEnergies. The partners in the license are China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) (45%), South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO) (15%), Prime 130 (16%), and Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company is the concessionaire of the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) between the partners of the field.
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Akpo West Field Location Details
The Akpo West Field is located 135,000m (135km) off the coast of Nigeria.
The Akpo Field is located within the OML 130 approximately 175,000m (175km) from Port Harcourt in water depths ranging from 1,100m to 1,300m.
Akpo West Field Development Details
The development of the Akpo West Field was planned for 2022 with three wells.
The Akpo West Field is developed with a tie back to the existing Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility of Akpo.
The Akpo FPSO commenced commercial operations in 2009. The FPSO produced 124,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2023.
The field will produce 14,000 barrels of condensate production per day. The production will be increased to up to 4 million cubic meters of gas per day by 2028.
The project will contribute towards the maintenance of the existing Akpo facilities by the development of the nearby resources.
The development will minimise greenhouse gas emissions and keep the costs of the existing Akpo facilities low.
The carbon intensity of the field is expected to be less than 5kg of carbon dioxide equivalent per barrel of oil equivalent (CO2e/boe) thereby, reducing the average carbon intensity of the portfolio of TotalEnergies.
Akpo Appraisal and Drilling Details
The development of the Akpo Field consisted of an appraisal drilling programme.
The drilling programme included four vertical wells, two side tracks, and detailed reservoir and development studies.
The drilling programme was followed by a Field Development Plan (FDP) of the field. The FDP was submitted to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for approval.
Under the FDP, the proposed programme included 44 wells including two gas injector wells, 20 water injector wells, and 22 producer wells.
A network of flowlines, umbilical, and risers were also a part of the FDP. These connect the subsea production systems to the FPSO.
The development of the Akpo Main Field consists of 50 wells consisting of 44 FDP wells and six infill wells.
Transport
The condensate from the Akpo Field is exported through a buoy located 2,000m (2km) from the FPSO.
A portion of the gas is re-injected, and the rest is transported to Amenam/Kpono Platform via a 150,000m (150km) pipelines.
The pipelines deliver the gas to the Bonny Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant.
The Akpo Field commenced commercial operations in March 2009 with a peak production of 180,000 barrels per day.
The field produced a daily net production of approximately 38,000 barrels in 2022 due to natural decline.
According to the latest records, the field has produced more than 600 million barrels of condensate.
Contractors Involved
Dakotelin Nigeria was one of the contractors of the Akpo Field.
In March 2009, Capefront Energies was selected for rigging/rope access for Akpo FPSO. The scope of work included mooring, FPSO utilising mooring, NOV SCR pull in system, NOV mooring, and Righini chain jack system.
Marine Platforms was awarded a contract of delivering Offshore Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair (OIMR) services on the Akpo, Egina, and other exploration fields in January 2019.
The work scope included a 100-tonne vessel and a 150-tonne vessel both fitted with 200HP ROVs, experienced personnel, and onshore support.
Marine Platforms deployed its African Vision, a multipurpose offshore support vessel, for the execution of the contract. The vessel consisted of a 100-tonne AHC crane, a 60-man accommodation, and a 1000m2 deck space.
The company also deployed Maersk Inventor, a light construction DP3 vessel consisting of a 400-tonne AHC crane, a 120-man accommodation, and a 1,850m2 deck space.