The taps have been turned on at the Saxi and Batuque fields – part of the ExxonMobil operated Kizomba C development project in Block 15 offshore Angola.
Production has begun at Saxi and Batuque on the heels of the Mondo field, which started producing in January this year, partner StatoilHydro said.
Total combined output from the three Kizomba C fields will reach 200,000 b/d later this year.
Kizomba C is expected to produce a total of approximately 600m bbl of oil over the life of the three producing fields.
The Kizomba C development comprises two floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels and 36 subsea wells.
The twin Kizomba C FPSOs are the fourth and fifth production centres on Block 15, following Xikomba (2003), Kizomba A (2004) and Kizomba B (2005). Block 15 production is expected to hit approximately 700,000b/d when the Saxi and Batuque fields reach peak production.
“Angola is a key building block for StatoilHydro’s international production growth. We’ve been in the country for 17 years and are now partners in nine producing fields, which contribute more than 200,000 barrels of equity production per day to our portfolio. StatoilHydro has delivered more than 30% annual production growth since 2001 and Angola is one of the main contributors to this great result,” says Thore E. Kristiansen, senior vice president and head of INT Southern Atlantic.
“And there’s more to come. We also expect Block 4 to start producing in 2008, and in a few years Block 31 will come on stream.”
Block 15 is operated by ExxonMobil, with a 40% stake. Angolan state-owned oil company Sonangol is the concessionaire.