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N'Goma FPSO

A converted, turret-moored FPSO serving the West Hub development in Angola’s deepwater Block 15/06. Formerly deployed as Xikomba, it began West Hub production in November 2014 and is moored in about 1,250 metres of water. The vessel receives multiphase fluids from clustered subsea wells, treats and stabilises crude, manages injection services, stores oil and exports it to shuttle tankers.

Operator: Eni

Status: Operational

N'Goma FPSO platform photo

Image Source: Eni. (All rights belong to the original owner.)

Production: Oil

Operations start: 2014

Water depth: 1250 m

Country: Angola

Block: Block 15/06

Type: FPSO

Field

The West Hub lies in the Lower Congo Basin offshore Angola and originally integrated the Sangos, Cinguvu and Mpungi fields. Its oil reservoirs are Lower and Middle Miocene, weakly confined deepwater turbidite-channel complexes at approximately 1,900-3,100 metres below sea level. Trapping combines structural and stratigraphic closure, commonly influenced by salt tectonics. The large multi-field development uses clustered subsea wells with water and water-alternating-gas pressure support.

Facilities

The original West Hub development comprised 21 subsea wells: twelve producers, five water injectors and four wells configured for alternating water and gas injection. Wells are grouped around five production manifolds, two WAG manifolds, one crossover manifold and one gas-lift manifold, with nine subsea distribution units providing multiplexed electro-hydraulic control. The installed subsea network includes approximately 56 kilometres of rigid flowlines, including 16 kilometres of pipe-in-pipe, about 85-86 kilometres of flexible lines and 42 kilometres of umbilicals. Production wells use open-hole gravel-pack sand control; injector wells use stand-alone screens with natural sand packing. Upper completions provide downhole gas lift and chemical injection, and one injector was completed for selective control of different reservoir layers. Fluids reach N’Goma through production risers and turret swivels for treatment, stabilisation and cargo storage. Water-injection and WAG services return treated fluids to the reservoir, while dedicated gas-lift and service lines support well operation. Conversion for West Hub included extensive refurbishment of the hull, processing equipment, topsides and turret, plus installation of a sulphate-removal package and hot-oil pumping module. The vessel measures approximately 366 by 52 by 26 metres and stores about 1.5 million barrels. Its turret mooring maintains permanent production, injection, chemical and control connections. Stabilised crude is exported by shuttle tanker.

N'Goma FPSO layout
Image Source: ANGOLA: Eni Starts Production of the Cuica field in the Eastern Area of Block 15/06 – oilnewsafrica. (All rights belong to the original owner.)

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