Exxon’s giant Hebron platform in Canada, christened back in April, has yet to sail away to its offshore location.
During the platform launching ceremony held at Nalcor Energy’s Bull Arm Fabrication site, it was said that the sailaway to the Atlantic waters offshore Canada was “imminent.”
It’s been almost a mont h since then, but the 750.000 metric tonne unit has yet to be moved and installed at the $14 billion Hebron development, 350 kilometers southeast of the Newfoundland and Labrador’s capital St John’s.
CNLOPB, an offshore safety body has issued an operations authorization to ExxonMobil Canada Properties for the Hebron Platform to be towed to field on May 5.
According to Canadian news sources CBC and VOCM, the reason for the hold-up is the ice drifting south from the Baffin Bay.
CBC has cited an Exxon spokesperson who said the tow could happen “within the next couple of weeks.”
The news website even ran the numbers on costs incurred during the waiting period. CBC has come up with up to $5.4 million per that the operator needs to pay for the anchor handling tug supply vessels.
The Hebron GBS (oil platform) is almost ready to be towed to sea! Here is a picture of the the near final product taken by Ryan Norris #nlwx pic.twitter.com/y2uss8ekUg
— Eddie Sheerr (@EddieSheerr) May 17, 2017
Hebron
Once the platform is at the offshore location – the tow will take about two weeks – it will be used to develop Hebron, West Ben Nevis, and Ben Nevis fields. The Hebron project development costs have been estimated at $14 billion.
Estimated recoverable reserves in Hebron are put at 700 million barrels of recoverable resources, making it the second-largest field in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin after Hibernia.
The Hebron platform consists of a stand-alone gravity-based structure, which supports an integrated topsides deck that includes living quarters, and drilling and production facilities. The water depth at the Hebron field is 93 meters.
The sturdy facility consists of a reinforced concrete structure designed to withstand sea ice, icebergs and meteorological and oceanographic conditions. It will have the capacity to store in excess of 1 million barrels of oil in storage compartments. First oil is expected later in 2017.
Offshore Energy Today Staff