Australian oil and gas company Woodside has announced the extraction of first oil from the Sangomar field offshore Senegal.
This is the West African nation’s inaugural offshore oil project, Woodside said.
The Sangomar Field Development Phase 1 is a deepwater project featuring the Léopold Sédar Senghor FPSO with a capacity of 100,000bpd.
It also includes subsea infrastructure designed to support future development phases.
The FPSO, named in honour of Senegal's first president, is anchored around 100km from the Senegalese coastline.
The initial phase encompasses 23 wells, comprising 11 for production, ten for water injection and two for gas injection, with 21 already drilled and completed.
The Rufisque Offshore, Sangomar Offshore and Sangomar Deep Offshore (RSSD) joint venture (JV) is leading the Sangomar project.
Woodside, as the operator, holds an 82% interest in RSSD while Societé des Petroles du Sénégal (PETROSEN) owns the remaining 18% stake.
The JV has also sanctioned a 24th well to be included in the ongoing drilling campaign.
The budget for the Sangomar Field Development Phase 1 remains within the forecasted range of $4.9bn–$5.2bn.
Woodside anticipates the continuation of commissioning activities and a gradual increase in production throughout 2024.
The crude from Sangomar is expected to be approximately 31 degrees API, catering to demand in European and Asian markets.
Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill said: “This is an historic day for Senegal and for Woodside. First oil from the Sangomar field is a key milestone and reflects delivery against our strategy. The Sangomar project is expected to generate shareholder value within the terms of the production sharing contract.
“Delivering Senegal’s first offshore oil project safely, through a period of unprecedented global challenge, demonstrates Woodside’s world-class project execution capability. We are proud of the relationships we have formed with PETROSEN, the Government of Senegal and our key international and local contractors to develop this nationally significant resource.”
GlobalData's analysis suggests that the Sangomar Phase 1 conventional oil development project will reach peak production in 2026, with operations projected to last until the field hits its economic limit in 2050.
