Gumusut-Kakap Semi-FPS Installation Underway

Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) reported that a semisubmersible floating production system (semi-FPS) for the Gumusut-Kakap deepwater field has been delivered and installation is now underway at the project development site off Sabah, Malaysia.

The semi-FPS left the Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Sdn Bhd (MMHE) yard in Pasir Gudang, Johor May 13 and sailed to Desaru waters where a sea trial and an inclination test were completed May 24. It was then handed over to Royal Dutch Shell plc's subsidiary Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Ltd. (SSPC) June 3.

After the semi-FPS's arrival at the field June 12, mooring was completed June 24 and installation continues at the site.

SSPC will carry out offshore installation and commissioning for the semi-FPS, which has been anchored in water depths of about 3,937 feet (1,200 meters) and will initially service seven sub-sea manifolds in the Gumusut-Kakap field. The semi-FPS, which was designed to remain on station in the field for 30 years, has the potential to act as a hub for other possible sub-sea facilities.

The field’s full development system comprises 19 subsea wells which are linked to a permanent structure of the semi-FPS and an oil export pipeline that will bring crude oil to the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal in Kimanis, Sabah. The system has the design capacity to process up to 150,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

“This project and its achievement is attributed to the collaborative effort of Petronas, Shell, Murphy, ConocoPhilips as well as Petronas Carigali, supported by the capability and technical know-how of MISC Bhd and MMHE,” Shamsul Azhar Abbas, President & group CEO of Petronas, said in the company release.

MISC is the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the project and undertook full project management scope and responsibility, while MMHE - which built the semi-FPS - is a unit of Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering Holdings Bhd (MHB) and a member of the MISC Group.

“The completion of this project is a testimony to MISC and MMHE’s growing capabilities in the engineering and construction of floating production facilities,” Nasarudin Md Idris, president/CEO of MISC and chairman of MHB said in the press release.

The Gumusut-Kakap field is Malaysia’s second deepwater development after the Kikeh oil field, also offshore Sabah. SSPC is the field operator, with Petronas Carigali, ConocoPhilips Sabah Ltd. and Murphy Sabah Oil Co. Ltd. the other partners in the project.