The quarters and utilities (QU) facility has arrived at the bp-Kosmos’ transnational Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) joint venture project site, straddling the Mauritania-Senegal border
Having travelled almost 12,000 nautical miles from its Chinese dockyard, the QU facility for the GTA’s hub terminal was built by Chinese manufacturer CIMC Raffles and shipped along the same route set to be travelled by Golar LNG’s Gimi floating LNG vessel next year, which is 86% complete.
bp as the operator of the GTA project with a 60% stake contracted CIMC for the QU facility build in April 2019 and work was completed on it in May this year.
The news bodes extremely well for the GTA project, having overcome major delays due to COVID-19 and now on track for first production in in the second half of next year, with all major construction and infrastructure works due for completion by the end of next quarter.
The QU facility alone boasts over 540,000 metres of cables and more than 9,000 explosion-proof pieces of equipment, designed as the ‘nerve centre’ for the LNG hub terminal and central onsite accommodation for local and international staff.
Costing $4.6 billion and spread across 33,000km2, equal reserves in Senegal and Mauritania, the GTA project site has been awash with activity of late. The Valaris DS-12 rig is at work drilling its four-well series between April and December, the 100km subsea pipeline connecting the FLNG to shore is being laid, and the 355,000-ton offshore LNG hub’s central platform has just been put in place. Even the FPSO vessel stands scheduled to depart for the basin by this year’s close.
Major oil and gas projects including the GTA project, the Yakaar-Teranga project and the Sangomar project will be discussed during a roundtable session showcasing the attractive slate of new blocks on the market during this year’s MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power Conference & Exhibition, taking place on 1 September at the Centre International de Conférences Abdou Diouf (CICAD) in Dakar, Senegal.