BP picks KBR for pre-FEED work on Tortue project

U.S. engineering company KBR has been awarded pre-front end engineering design (FEED) and project support services contracts by BP for the development of the Tortue / Ahmeyim field offshore Mauritania and Senegal. 

Under KBR’s global services agreement with BP, KBR has won these new contracts to provide pre-FEED and project support covering design of the subsea, pre-treatment floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility, inshore hub/terminal, and interfaces for floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) for the Tortue Project, KBR said on Thursday.

This new work will build on the earlier concept phase work for the development of the field already completed by KBR’s subsidiary Granherne for BP’s partner, Kosmos.

“KBR is pleased to offer our world-class engineering design expertise to continue to support this significant project from its early stages and to help BP and its partners develop an LNG hub for Mauritania and Senegal,” said Jay Ibrahim, KBR President, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “This award confirms KBR’s strategic commitment to and builds upon our ongoing relationship with BP for engineering services around the globe.”

KBR’s pre-FEED work is expected to be performed over the next six months, with KBR supporting BP in the Optimize Stage of the Tortue field development. The work will be executed from KBR’s London office which has played a key role in multiple recent BP projects including the Glen Lyon FPSO and Shah Deniz Phase II projects.

Revenue from this contract is undisclosed and will be booked into backlog for KBR’s Engineering & Construction business segment in 3Q of 2017.

BP teamed up with Kosmos Energy in Mauritania and Senegal through a transaction announced in late 2016.

The approximately 33,000 square kilometers of acreage includes the Tortue field. The field is estimated to contain more than 15 tcf of discovered gas resources. The total acreage, by Kosmos’ estimates, could contain roughly 50tcf of gas resource potential and more 1 billion barrels of liquids resource potential.

The transaction was completed last February. Following the completion, BP has 32.49% interest in the Senegal blocks while Kosmos’ interest has been reduced to 32.51%. The remaining 25% and 10% is held by Timis Corporation and Petrosen, respectively.

The partnership aims to produce first gas from the Tortue project by 2021.

Earlier this month, Kosmos revealed its plans to drill three more wells offshore Mauritania and Senegal, starting with the Hippocampe well later this month. This will be followed by the Lamantin well in the fourth quarter and, finally, Kosmos plans to drill the Requin Tigre in Senegal around the end of the year.