Bokor Phase 3 Redevelopment Project

Bokor is a shallow-water oil field located in 67m-deep waters in the Baram Delta offshore, Sarawak, Malaysia.

It is jointly owned by Petronas Carigali and Sarawak Shell Berhad, with Petronas Carigali as the operator.

The offshore oil field is undergoing phase three redevelopment as part of the Baram Delta enhanced oil recovery (EOR) campaign.

The Bokor Phase-3 redevelopment project involves the installation of three new wellhead platforms. It is being implemented by the Bokor Project Management Team (BPMT), a gain-share asset management alliance between Petronas and Schlumberger.

Construction works on the oil field redevelopment project began in 2018, with completion expected in 2020.

Bokor oil field location, discovery and geology

The Bokor oil field was discovered in the 1970s. It lies approximately 45km offshore Lutong, Sarawak, in the Malaysian portion of the South China Sea.

Bokor oil field redevelopment background

The Bokor field produced its first oil in 1982. Oil recovery at the field initially took place through a conventional gas lift process.

As production declined, BPMT reviewed artificial lift technologies for the redevelopment of the field in 2007. Electrical submersible pump (ESP) technology was chosen as it offered additional production capacity, reliability and greater flexibility when handle complex reservoirs.

A total of three ESPs were installed in the field in 2009, which were expected to add approximately 2.8 million barrels (mmbbl) of oil over the decade without any substantial rise in water cut.

Bokor oil field infrastructure

The Bokor oil field has three solar-powered drilling platforms, BODP-A, BODP-B, and BODP-C.

The offshore field also has a satellite platform named BOK-A, which is powered by a 400kW generator and is connected to BODP-C by a subsea power cable.

A transformer installed at the BOK-A platform steps up the voltage to 6.6kV for the reduction of subsea transmission losses. BODP-C also houses a light electrical room (LER) containing surface equipment and a safety system, including a gas and fire detector, an emergency shutdown. It also houses lighting facilities.

Bokor Phase 3 redevelopment details

The phase three development of the field comprises the installation of three new wellhead platforms, BOKOR-D, BOKOR-E and BOKOR-F, as well as a new central processing platform (CPP).

The new wells will be developed with the ESPs for enhanced oil recovery. The new wells will also be equipped with abrasion-resistant zirconium (ARZ) bearings for wear and tear protection, check valve over the pump to avoid fall back of solids during shut-ins, and mixed flow stages.

Contractors involved

Brooke Dockyard and Engineering Works received a contract for front-end engineering design (FEED), as well as the engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) for three topsides and substructures for the new wellhead platforms in April 2017.

Malaysia Marine and Heavy Engineering (MMHE) received a $226.7m EPCIC contract for the central processing platform (CPP) for the oil field redevelopment project in April 2017. The platform is being fabricated at the company’s West Yard, Pasir Gudang, Johor.

MMHE subcontracted Boskalis for the transportation and float-over installation of a topside for the Bokor CPP in July 2018.

Jurunature was contracted as the fabrication partner, while Labuan Shipyard & Engineering was contracted to provide yard services for helideck storage and handling of the Bokor CPP. Paladon Systems supplied 6-in valve actuators for the project in 2018.

Berachah Group provided FEED and detailed engineering design services for the Bokor Phase-3 redevelopment project.