Taking place in Dakar, Senegal, on 17 December, day two of the MSGBC Oil, Gas & Power 2021 Conference and Exhibition featured the participation of petroleum exploration and production company, Woodside Country Manager for Senegal, Andy Demetriou, who provided a detailed overview of the latest developments of the offshore Sangomar Field Development, which, with first oil production targeted for 2023, is set to become the west-African country’s first offshore oil development.

In a session focusing on the theme, ‘Shaping Senegal’s Energy Future: Key Project Updates’, Demetriou discussed the status of the offshore block and how Woodside aims to increase local company involvement in Senegal.

“We realize that it is only through partnerships with local companies, local partners and in collaboration with the government that we can ensure this long term sustainability,” Mr. Demetriou stated.

Located 100km south of Dakar in the Rufisque, Sangomar, and Sangomar Deep (RSSD) Blocks, the Sangomar Field Development contains both oil and gas and covers a combined area of 7,490km² within the Senegalese portion of the MSGBC Basin, with Woodside playing a major role in its development.

“The central part of our efforts in Sangomar is structured around our great drilling campaign. The Ocean black rhino FPSO, operated by Diamond Offshore, is drilling away as we speak on what is one the largest drilling campaigns in the world today. Twenty-three wells are being drilled in batches. Different actions are happening simultaneously across four wells at a time, to maximize drilling efficiency. By mid-2022 we are hoping to have two drill ships from Diamond Offshore working in parallel, drilling at 2,000 meter depths with operations running 24/7, with support teams based in Dakar and Perth,” he further disclosed.

Targeting approximately 230 million barrels of crude oil, the first phase of the Sangomar Field Development will develop reservoirs within the complex and test their capacity to support gas export to shore. The field development will comprise a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) unit, 23 subsea wells, and supporting infrastructure, with the FPSO vessel moored at a water-depth of roughly 780m, capable of processing 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day, 130 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, and will have a minimum capacity of 1,300,000 barrels of crude oil.

“The maximization of training and capacity building and the sustainable long-term development of this project will contribute to the development of Senegal for decades to come,” he concluded.

Woodside, responsible for the development of the Sangomar Field, serves as operator of the RSSD joint venture, with a participating interest of 82%, while the remaining interest is owned by Senegal’s state-owned oil company, Societé des Petroles du Sénégal (Petrosen) (18%).