KEY POINTS
- Shell has begun a major turnaround maintenance on the Bonga FPSO, with operations expected to resume in March.
- The exercise aims to extend the vessel’s lifespan, improve safety, and prepare it for increased production from the Bonga North project.
- The Bonga FPSO has a capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil and 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has commenced a major turnaround maintenance programme on the Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel as part of efforts to extend the facility’s lifespan and strengthen its operational reliability.
The company disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the maintenance exercise is a statutory and integrity assurance programme designed to keep the FPSO operating safely and efficiently. SNEPCo said production is expected to resume in March after the completion of the exercise.
According to SNEPCo Managing Director, Ronald Adams, the scheduled maintenance will help ensure the vessel continues to operate effectively for at least another 15 years, while also reducing the risk of unplanned shutdowns and improving the overall resilience of the asset.
Shell explained that the scope of work covers statutory inspections, certification and regulatory compliance checks, major asset-integrity upgrades, and engineering modifications. The programme will also include subsea assurance activities aimed at improving long-term operational performance.
The Bonga FPSO is located about 120 kilometres offshore in water depths of more than 1,000 metres. It has a production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil per day and 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
Bonga FPSO Critical to Stable Production
SNEPCo noted that maintaining the integrity of the Bonga FPSO is critical to sustaining stable production and supporting Nigeria’s broader energy security and revenue goals.
The company added that the timing of the maintenance is strategic, especially following the final investment decision taken in 2024 by SNEPCo and its co-venture partners on the Bonga North subsea tie-back development. The new project will rely heavily on the reliability and enhanced capacity of the Bonga FPSO.
A successful turnaround maintenance, Shell said, is therefore essential to prepare the facility for the additional volumes and operational demands expected from the Bonga North development.
The last turnaround maintenance on the FPSO was carried out in October 2022. In February 2023, the asset produced its one billionth barrel of oil since production began in 2005.
SNEPCo operates the Bonga field in partnership with Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited under a Production Sharing Contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited. The company did not state how the current maintenance would affect daily oil output.
