The Petroleum Commission has indicated to Citi Business News that a process has commenced to offload close to 1 million barrel of crude stored on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah to allow the vessel; to resume production of crude and gas.
This has become necessary following the delayed production of crude and gas after the vessel was shut down in March for routine maintenance.
Tullow Oil Ghana missed its initial April 9th deadline to commence the off-take of gas. The Oil production company further extended the deadline to April 23, 2016.
But the situation is yet to be restored as Tullow reports of a damaged turret bearing on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah.
But according to the Petroleum Commission, a 250, 000 capacity Dynamic Positioning (DP) tanker is being used to receive the crude from the FPSO.
The DP tanker will undertake a ship to ship transfer, so that production at the Jubilee field can start.
Speaking to Citi Business News, the Marketing and Communications Head at the Petroleum Commission, Edmund Nartey said resumption of crude may be staggered until the turret is fixed.
“The objective now is when we can evacuate the vessel, we can get some level of production and that production also means gas export. Under normal circumstances, when everything is working as it is supposed to be, a tanker comes and it takes a full capacity of crude in the vest, but with the current challenges that is not possible,
“What exist there currently are dynamic positioning vessels that can take only 250,000 barrels and that will take the crude in bits until they had evacuated the FPSO then they can start production because once the vessel is full, then production cannot go on as it is expected,” Edmund Nartey stated.
Meanwhile the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah is currently undergoing an assessment by SOFEC, an engineering specialist firm due to a damaged turret.
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By: Norvan Acquah-Hayford/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
