Kaombo project

Kaombo project. It is a major ultra-deepwater offshore oil development located in Block 32, approximately 260 kilometers off the coast of Angola in the Atlantic Ocean. Operated by the French energy major TotalEnergies, the project is one of the largest in the country and represents a significant technological achievement in tapping complex pre-salt reservoirs. Its development, based on converting two very large crude carriers into FPSO units, was designed to access six separate oil fields across a vast area.

Overview

The project is situated in water depths ranging from 1,400 to 1,900 meters within the prolific Lower Congo Basin. Discovered in 2006, the fields were developed to sustain Angola's position as a leading OPEC oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. The development consortium includes the national oil company Sonangol alongside international partners such as ExxonMobil, BP, and Equinor. The strategic decision to utilize converted supertankers as FPSO vessels was driven by the need for cost-effective solutions following the 2010s oil glut.

Development and construction

Final investment decision for the development was sanctioned in 2014, with engineering and construction contracts awarded to a consortium led by TechnipFMC and DSME. The core innovation involved the conversion of the VLCC tankers Girassol and Sanha into the FPSO units named Kaombo Norte and Kaombo Sul. Major construction and integration work took place at shipyards in South Korea and Singapore, with the Samsung Heavy Industries yard in Geoje playing a pivotal role. The project faced delays due to complexities in subsea system installation and the broader market impacts of the 2014–2016 oil price crash.

Technical specifications

The development utilizes two of the world's largest FPSO vessels, each with a production capacity of 115,000 barrels of oil per day. The subsea infrastructure is extensive, comprising over 300 kilometers of umbilicals, flowlines, and risers connecting 59 wells across the six fields. The FPSOs are connected to a network of manifolds and Christmas trees on the seabed, with production supported by gas lift and water injection systems to enhance recovery. The reservoirs are located in turbidite formations beneath a thick layer of salt, requiring advanced seismic imaging techniques for accurate mapping.

Production and operations

First oil from the Kaombo Norte FPSO was achieved in July 2018, with the Kaombo Sul unit coming online in April 2019. The project reached its plateau production of 230,000 barrels per day in 2020, significantly contributing to Angola's national output. Operations are managed from an onshore support base in Luanda, with logistical support involving supply vessels from the port of Soyo. The FPSOs offload crude to shuttle tankers for export to global markets, including Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Continuous drilling campaigns are conducted to maintain production levels and develop additional reservoir segments.

Economic and environmental impact

The development represents an investment of over USD 16 billion and is a critical contributor to the Angolan economy and government revenues through production sharing agreements. It has created thousands of jobs and fostered local content initiatives, including training programs with the University of Agostinho Neto. Environmentally, the project incorporates measures like flare gas recovery and produced water reinjection to minimize its footprint. Its operations are monitored in accordance with Angolan regulations and international standards set by bodies like the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, though offshore drilling in the Benguela Current ecosystem presents inherent risks.

Category:Oil fields in Angola Category:TotalEnergies Category:Offshore oil and gas fields of the Atlantic Ocean