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West Africa Focus gas from offshore oil felds and of riser improvements, including produce 5.2 million tones/y of bundled risers at Girassol (2001)

LNG and related gas liquids. and Dalia’s fexible bundled risers

Some of that will be used to (2006). Most recently, Total has meet Angola’s domestic needs. demonstrated seafoor gas-liquids

To help feed the LNG plant, separation at Pazfor (2011). the Congo River Crossing Typically lower reservoir pipeline project, will deliver pressures and temperatures in 250 MMc/d from offshore shallow post-salt felds allowed the

Blocks 0 and 14 through a new use of technology developed in the pipeline. Because Blocks 0 and Gulf of Mexico, but the conditions 14 are in the Cabinda enclave also required greater use of water north of the river mouth, and injection to boost pressures and the plant, located at Soyo, is heating of fowlines to forestall on the south side of the river, a clogging with wax and hydrates.

Total has pioneered a number of riser 140-km segment of the pipeline Added technological challenges improvements, including bundled risers. has to go through an undersea likely will come with pre-salt canyon scoured out by the river’s production, assuming commercial massive outfow. Chevron is leading But the lack of local infrastructure development. For example, the construction project. and underdeveloped onshore pre-salt reservoir pressures and

Exploration and development energy markets has necessitated temperatures will likely be higher success off West Africa has been region-specifc innovations. than the post-salt reservoirs already helped along by relatively benign Companies have perfected the use produced.

weather and metocean conditions, of FPSOs, and a spinoff of reliance In any case, there will be plenty which meant that well-established on FPSOs is advances in riser of opportunities to address pre-salt engineering and technological technology. challenges.

approaches met most needs. Total has pioneered a number “Looking forward to 2013 and oedigital.com April 2013 | OE 81 nichols_opener.indd 81 4/1/13 1:49 AM