BP Achieves First Gas at Major West Africa Offshore Project
Senegal and Mauritania are set to become major producers of natural gas after oil major BP marked a significant milestone with the first gas flow from the offshore Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project. It is the first gas development in the new basin offshore Mauritania and Senegal and is expected to put the two West African nations on the map as major hydrocarbon producers.
BP is the operator of GTA, a project that is being developed at a cost of $4.8 billion and which it jointly owns with U.S operator Kosmos Energy, Mauritanian hydrocarbons company SMH, and Senegal’s state-owned Petrosen. The project is one of the deepest offshore developments in Africa, with gas resources in water depths of up to 2,850 meters (9,350 feet). When fully commissioned, GTA Phase 1 is expected to produce around 2.3 million tonnes of LNG annually for more than 20 years.
The first gas from the project is being introduced to the FPSO approximately 40 kilometers (25 miles) offshore, where water, condensate, and impurities are removed.
“This is a fantastic landmark for this important megaproject,” said Gordon Birrell, BP EVP production & operations. “First gas flow is a material example of supporting the global energy demands of today and reiterates our commitment to help Mauritania and Senegal develop their natural resources.”
The project employs a large FPSO, constructed by China’s COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry yard in Qidong, China. The vessel, which is designed for a 30-year service life, is 70 meters (230 feet) long and has an oil storage capacity is not less than 1.44 million barrels. The living quarters can accommodate 140 people.
The FPSO being towed into position in June 2024 (BP)
The FPSO arrived at its permanent location offshore Mauritania and Senegal in June 2024. It is expected to process over 500 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
The gas will be transferred via pipeline to the Gimi FLNG vessel that is moored at the Hub Terminal approximately 10 kilometers (6 miles) offshore where it will be cryogenically cooled, liquefied, and stored before being transferred to LNG carriers for export. Some of the gas will be allocated to help meet growing demand in the two countries.
Owned and operated by Golar LNG, the Gimi can store up to 125,000 cubic meters of LNG. The vessel arrived at the GTA project in February having undergone conversion at Singapore’s Seatrium shipyard. The vessel was converted from a 1975-built Moss LNG carrier and is designed for 20 years of operations on-site without dry docking. It features a liquefaction capacity of 2.7 million tonnes per annum and capabilities to operate near shore in 30 meters (100 feet) of water depth.
The project is based on the 2014 discovery of 120 trillion cubic feet of natural gas across the two countries. The first LNG cargo for export markets is projected in the first quarter of this year.