BW nearing FID on Maromba oil project offshore Brazil

Aug. 20, 2021
BW Energy expects to take a final investment decision early next year on a phased development of the Maromba license in the Campos basin offshore Brazil.

Offshore staff

OSLO, Norway – BW Energy expects to take a final investment decision early next year on a phased development of the Maromba license in the Campos basin offshore Brazil.

The Maromba discovery is around 100 km (62 mi) offshore in the BC-20A concession in the southern part of the Campos basin, in water depths close to 160 m (525 ft).

From 1980-2006, nine wells were drilled across the license, eight of which encountered oil in reservoirs including Eocene, Maastrichtian, Albian, Aptian, and Barremian intervals. To the east of Maromba is the Papa-Terra field, originally developed by Petrobras, and to the north the Equinor-operated Peregrino field, both producing heavy crude from the Maastrichtian.

BW Energy has opted for a phased scheme to minimize up-front capex, speed time to first oil, and allowing for gradual growth of production and the supporting organization, similar to the company’s strategy for its Dussafu license offshore Gabon.

Phase 1 will target 16° API gravity crude in the Maastrihctian reservoir via two or three horizontal subsea wells tied back to an FPSO. Production should begin at the end of 2022, peaking at around 30,000 b/d.

For Phase 2, BW plans three to four further horizontal production wells and two water injectors. 

Brazil’s regulator ANP approved the field development plan last August and the project continues to progress toward the environmental approval.

Offshore Gabon, drilling of the final horizontal production well, DTM-7H, on the Tortue field finished last month, with the well encountering good-quality oil-bearing sands. Completion and tie-in of the this well and DTM-6H is progressing with first oil anticipated early in 4Q.

Drilling continues on the Hibiscus North exploration well (DHBNM-1), which is targeting a geological analogue to the Ruche field.

In 2017, BW Energy entered a farm-in agreement to take a 56% operated interest in the Kudu license offshore Namibia. Last month, the company’s subsidiary BW Kudu Ltd. and state oil company NAMCOR completed a $4-million transaction that raised BW Kudu’s interest in the license to 95%.

NAMCOR will retain the remaining 5% and will be carried by BW Kudu for costs until first gas. BW Kudu paid $4 million at completion of the transaction in early July 2021. BW Energy is continuing its efforts to develop the multi-tcf Kudu resource, originally operated by Shell.

08/20/2021