New platform starts production at Malampaya gas field

Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power project joint venture partners, Shell Philippines Exploration, Chevron Malampaya and the Philippine National Oil Company – Exploration Corporation inaugurated the new platform and marked the start of gas production.

The new offshore platform, a depletion compression platform  is adjacent to the existing Malampaya Shallow Water Platform, located some 50km offshore from Palawan in western Philippines.

Combined with the drilling of two new production wells, which were completed in 2013, the new offshore platform will maintain the level of gas production to fulfill commitments under existing gas sales agreements, thus ensuring the steady supply of natural gas to power the Luzon electricity grid, Shell informed in a statement.

A team of more than 1,400 Filipino workers took about two years to build the platform at the Keppel Shipyard in Subic, Zambales. Fabrication was completed with a safety record of 11.8 million safe man hours.

The self-installing technology of the platform was a first of its kind for operator Shell and enabled the platform to be installed without the need for large specialized installation vessels.  The platform was built to float and was towed from Subic to the Malampaya location, offshore Palawan.  The inbuilt jacking system enabled the 80-metre legs to be jacked down and lift the platform from the water into its final position. Both the existing Shallow Water Platform and the new Depletion Compression Platform are designed to withstand the typhoons and earthquakes which the Philippines experiences.

Image: Shell