Keppel Shipyard on track to complete first Gulf of Mexico FPSO

Oct. 26, 2009
Keppel Shipyard is on track to deliver the first FPSO for the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM) to BW Pioneer.

Offshore staff

SINGAPORE -- Keppel Shipyard is on track to deliver the first FPSO for the US Gulf of Mexico (GoM) to BW Pioneer. The vessel, named BW Pioneer, will be turret moored at a water depth of about 2,600 m (8,530 ft), the deepest for an FPSO, the company says.

Petrobras America has leased the FPSO for the Cascade and Chinook fields. Production is scheduled for 1Q 2010.

BW Pioneer is equipped with an internal disconnectable submerged turret production (STP) mooring system and outfitted with advanced safety features to withstand environmental loads from currents, waves, and wind. In the event of an approaching hurricane, this safety feature will allow the FPSO to disengage from site and move on its own propulsion to sheltered waters.

The FPSO has a storage capacity of about 600,000 bbl of oil, a process capacity of 80,000 b/d of oil, and gas export facilities of 16 MMcf/d.

10/26/2009