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Latin America

The FLRSU can convert 69.5MMscf/d

Colombia since 2008. Equion Energia of natural gas into LNG, and can operates the block, which it won in temporarily store up to 14,000cu m.

2007, with 40.56% stake. Ecopetrol holds a separate 32% interest in the gas from the feld into LNG. The barge, block, with the remainder controlled which will measure 140m x 32m x by Brazil’s Petrobras (27.44%). 18m, and will be able to store 14,000cu m in onboard tanks. The process- ing unit will be moored to a jetty in

Production

The shallow water Chuchupa feld is create additional value for sharehold- 15m waterdepth. Topsides equipment the largest – and only producing off- ers,” said Pacifc Rubiales CEO Ronald will weigh about 5000t. The liquefac- shore – natural gas feld in Colombia, Pantin. tion plant will be built by Black and located on the northwestern tip of the Once completed, the FLRSU will be Veatch with the. total cost estimated at

Guajira peninsula. able to convert 69.5 MMcf/d of natural US$300 million.

Chuchupa is a dry gas feld that was originally discovered in 1973 and brought into production four years later. Located in the offshore Guajira basin, it is currently operated by

Chevron in partnership with Ecopetrol.

The feld produces 80% of Colombia’s natural gas, which is piped to both central and northern Colombia, and western Venezuela.

In 2006, Chevron began studying ways to counter reservoir depressuriza- tion in the feld, settling on artifcial lift technology to extend the feld’s life into 2030. In 2012, net production from Chuchupa averaged 216MMcf/d.

Chevron is considering installing addi- tional compression facilities this year.

FLRSU on track

Canada-based, but Colombian-focused, explorer Pacifc Rubiales Energy announced last month that its LNG export project is on track to begin 4Q 2014. The planned facility is a frst- ever, foating liquefaction, re-gasif- cation, and storage unit (FLRSU) to operate off Colombia’s Caribbean coast (OE, July 2012).

Exmar NV was contracted to build, operate, and maintain the FLRSU, which will serve the onshore La

Creciente feld in Colombia’s lower

Magdalena Valley basin for 15 years.

The FLRSU is currently under con- struction at Wison Offshore and

Marine’s fabrication yard in Nantong,

China. “The company has actively invested in pipelines, ports, and other infra- structure facilities over the past fve years, allowing it to manage the pace of its production growth and capture additional value. The company is planning to spin out a portion of these assets, keeping operational control, to oedigital.com August 2013 | OE 73 072_OE0813_geo_colombia.indd 73 7/22/13 7:52 AM