Netherlands-based SBM Offshore is making headway in piecing together a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, which will be deployed on the U.S.-based ExxonMobil’s sixth deepwater oil development project at the Stabroek block off the coast of Guyana.
The progress, which the Dutch player describes as an “exciting milestone” for the FPSO Jaguar , follows a steel strike ceremony that took place at Guyana Shore Base Incorporated (GYSBI) on November 12, 2024, setting in motion the production of over 300 metric tons of fabricated fixtures for the Stabroek block-bound vessel.
“We are excited to announce that the MPF5, the base vessel for FPSO Jaguar, has safely arrived at Seatrium in Singapore,” disclosed SBM Offshore, which won the front end engineering and design (FEED) work for the unit after ExxonMobil made a final investment decision (FID) to develop the Whiptail oil development as its sixth project in Guyana’s Stabroek block.
The FPSO hull sailed from the SWS shipyard in Shanghai, China, on November 30. Thanks to the vessel’s arrival in Singapore, the Netherlands-based firm will initially focus on a program to facilitate the dry-dock phase of work.
The MPF5 hull for the FPSO Jaguar project is perceived to build on the success of the firm’s Fast4Ward program. This hull is said to be the fifth built at SWS and the fourth delivered to ExxonMobil in Guyana. With an expected field life of at least twenty years, the FPSO is slated to come online in 2027.
“SBM Offshore has continuously improved the design of the MPF hulls, incorporating valuable lessons learned from previous projects. In Singapore, the mooring structures, riser balconies, and topsides modules will be integrated onto the FPSO before it travels onwards to Guyana,” explained the Dutch firm.
Located at a water depth of around 2,000 meters, the Whiptail project aims to develop the Whiptail , Pinktail , and Tilapia fields, alongside potential additional resources, if they end up being feasible and economically viable.
The project’s development concept entails drilling operations via drillships to produce oil from around 40 to 65 production and injection wells. With a production capacity of 250,000 barrels of oil per day, the FPSO Jaguar will have a daily associated gas treatment capacity of 540 million cubic feet and a water injection capacity of 300,000 barrels per day.
The latest milestone in bringing the FPSO Jaguar to life comes days after ExxonMobil assumed ownership of its third FPSO at the Stabroek block. SBM Offshore will continue to operate and maintain the FPSO up to 2033.