Petrofac wins multi-million deal for FPSO recently sold by BW Offshore off Africa

Oilfield services provider Petrofac has secured an integrated services contract with CNR International (CNRI) for a floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which is working offshore the Ivory Coast, West Africa.

According to Petrofac, the initial three-year, multi-million pound, contract will enable its Asset Solutions business to provide integrated services for the FPSO Espoir Ivoirien, which BW Offshore sold in June 2023 for a total consideration of $20 million.

Following the sale of the vessel to CNRI, around 110 personnel currently supporting the FPSO, including those onshore and on the vessel, will transition to Petrofac from BW Offshore and the transition of people and operatorship is expected to complete before the end of July.

The company underlines that this contract builds upon its existing relationship with CNRI in the UKCS, which has centred around the provision of operations and maintenance services. The deal will be managed from Petrofac’s technical hub in Aberdeen.

Nick Shorten, Chief Operating Officer for Petrofac’s Asset Solutions business, commented: “I’m delighted that we are continuing to grow our presence in Africa with this latest contract from CNRI. We bring our considerable global FPSO experience to the Ivory Coast, adding to our portfolio of service contracts in Africa.

“Petrofac is expanding across the continent, providing local jobs, developing local skills, and collaborating with local partners. We look forward to deploying our expertise and working collaboratively with CNRI and our new employees to effect a safe and seamless transition through to operation of the asset.”

The FPSO works on the CNR International-operated Espoir field off the Ivory Coast and has an oil production capacity of 45,000 bbl/d. The production at the field started in 2002 while the oil produced from the Espoir East and West reservoir is processed, stored, and offloaded from the FPSO located between the two wellhead towers.

This latest award builds on Petrofac’s contract successes achieved throughout 2022, including decommissioning in Mauritania for Tullow Oil, operations and maintenance for Tullow Oil in Ghana, and the provision of offshore operations services for BP’s Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) project, including an FPSO, in Mauritania and Senegal.

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