Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has started oil production from the Malikai tension-leg platform (TLP), located 100-kilometers off the coast of the Malaysian state of Sabah.
The Malikai project is a joint venture between Shell (35%, operator), ConocoPhillips Sabah (35%) and Petronas Carigali (30%).
Located in waters up to 500-meters deep, Malikai is Shell’s second deep-water project in Malaysia, following the start-up of the Gumusut-Kakap platform in 2014. The platform was installed in water depths of 500m.
Shell said on Wednesday that Malikai, the company’s first TLP in the country, is expected to have a peak production of 60,000 barrels per day.
“Malikai marks an important milestone for Shell, its partners, Sabah and Malaysia. The project has demonstrated our capability in delivering competitive deep-water projects utilizing our global expertise,” said Andy Brown , Upstream Director, Royal Dutch Shell.
The project features a platform and a set of risers, or pipes that connect the platform to the wells for oil production. Shell and Technip-MMHE joint venture concluded the onshore fabrication and commissioning of the Malikai deep-water platform in June this year.
Designed and built in Malaysia, the Malikai TLP project has allowed Shell to share deep-water expertise with Malaysian energy companies.