bp celebrates arrival of FPSO vessel in landmark development for Mauritania and Senegal

bp announced that the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, a key component of the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) Phase 1 LNG development, has arrived at its final location offshore on the maritime border of Mauritania and Senegal.

The FPSO vessel, a key component of the project, will be operated by bp. Located 40 kilometres offshore in 120 metres of water depth, it will extract gas from deepwater reservoirs through a subsea system.

The FPSO traveled over 12,000 nautical miles following construction at the COSCO Qidong Shipyard in China. This multibillion-dollar project is a National Project of Strategic Importance for both Mauritania and Senegal.

“This is a huge landmark step for the project, an innovative LNG development that is leading the way in unlocking gas resources for Mauritania and Senegal,” Dave Campbell, Senior Vice President for Mauritania and Senegal at bp, said.

He added that, “The FPSO vessel has travelled halfway around the globe and its safe arrival and installation is testament to the resilience, skills, teamwork and huge effort of all the partners involved. We are now entirely focused on safe completion of the project as we continue to work towards first gas.”

Unlocking resources

The GTA Phase 1 development is expected to produce around 2.3 million tonnes of LNG annually for more than 20 years. This represents the first gas development in this new basin and boasts the deepest subsea infrastructure in Africa, with wells reaching depths of up to 2,850 metres.

The FPSO is an engineering marvel. With a footprint equivalent to two football fields and a height of ten stories, it is constructed from over 81,000 tonnes of steel and features an intricate network of pipes and cables. During normal operations, the FPSO will accommodate up to 140 personnel.

The FPSO will process over 500 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, removing impurities before transferring it to a Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) vessel for liquefaction and export. A portion of the processed gas will also be allocated to domestic markets in Mauritania and Senegal.

bp is committed to investing in a sustainable energy future, and the GTA Phase 1 project represents a significant step forward. This project will not only provide a reliable source of clean energy for decades to come but will also generate significant economic benefits for Mauritania and Senegal.