Angola’s national oil company Sonangol, Total E&P Angola and its Block 32 associates have started oil production at the Kaombo Norte floating oil production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO) according to a statement released on Friday.

It is estimated that the production of FPSO Kaombo Norte, the largest deepwater project recently developed in Angola, 260 kilometres off the coast of Luanda, will reach production of about 115,000 barrels of oil per day, according to a statement from Sonangol.

The statement added that the second unit of its kind, the Kaombo Sul, also in Block 32, is due to go into production in 2019, with the combined production of the two units expected to reach 230,000 barrels of oil per day.

The two FPSOs, whose associated gas production is due to be shipped to Angola LNG, will be connected to 59 wells through one of the largest underwater networks in the world, and will develop the resources of six different fields (Gengibre, Gindungo, Caril , Canela, Mostarda and Louro), spread over an area of 800 square kilometres, in the central and southern areas of the Block.

Total E&P Angola is the operator of Block 32, with a 30% stake, and its partners are Sonangol P&P (30%), Sonangol Sinopec International 32 Limited (20%), Esso Exploração e Produção Angola (Overseas) Limited (15%) and Galp Energia Overseas Block BV 32 (5%). (macauhub)