Woodside Energy’s Sangomar Project is closer to receiving first oil after the FPSO departed Singapore, bound for Senegal, Woodside announced Dec. 27.

Léopold Sédar Senghor FPSO, named after Senegal’s first president, will travel 12,000 nautical miles from Singapore to its mooring destination, approximately 100 km offshore Dakar, Senegal, in 2,560 ft water depth.

In July 2023, Woodside announced the FPSO would undergo unspecified remedial work in Singapore, which delayed the vessel’s delivery. The field was previously expected to begin production in 2023.

Woodside is now targeting first oil from Sangomar Phase 1 in mid-2024. Phase 1 focuses on developing the less complex reservoir units and testing other reservoirs to support gas export to shore, according to Woodside.

Work began on the Sangomar in 2020.

“Sangomar is Senegal’s first offshore oil development, and we remain committed to working with the government of Senegal and local communities to ensure that the benefits from our investments are felt broadly across the country,” Woodside’s CEO Meg O’Neill said in a press release.

MODEC converted a very large crude carrier into a fit for purpose FPSO for the Sangomar Field. The FPSO is rated to process 100,000 bbl/d of crude and 145,000 bbl/d of water injection. It has a minimum storage capacity of 1.3 MMbbl of crude oil.

Over the last 12 months, MODEC has been responsible for the topsides integration and shipyard pre-commissioning work undertaken in Singapore, MODEC said.

MODEC called the project technically demanding in terms of execution complexity.

“The challenges were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Soichi Ide, president and CEO of MODEC,said in a press release. He noted the company achieved over 21 million exposure hours without a lost time injury.

Woodside operates the field with 82% interest on behalf of partner Petrosen with 18%.

Offshore