BW Energy addressing ESP issues in Hibiscus wells offshore Gabon

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway — Panoro Energy has issued updates on maintenance and drilling operations at the Dussafu Marin production sharing contract offshore Gabon.

Late last year operator BW Energy started a program to determine the cause of electrical integrity issues that were impacting four recently drilled Hibiscus Field wells. This led to removal of retrievable electric submersible pumps (ESPs) and the upper completions on two of the wells. 

Production has since been restored from three of the four wells, with two now producing on new ESPs and the third well under natural flow without an ESP. The fourth well will undergo a workover following completion of the Hibiscus South development well.

Current gross Dussafu production is about 25,000 bbl/d. The recovered ESPs are with the manufacturer for diagnosis; under contingency plans, three conventional ESPs should be delivered shortly.

Going forward, the partners will look to optimize drilling of the remaining three planned development wells in the current campaign (now extended through July), along with any outstanding ESP workovers.

Drilling has started on the Hibiscus South development well, using the top-hole section of last year’s discovery well, and this should come onstream in March. The rig will then drill an additional Hibiscus development well, a Ruche development well and perform ESP workovers.