The deepwater Xikomba field has become the first of three fields to start production in block 15 off Angola in western Africa, where Statoil has a 13.33 per cent interest.
Located in 1,180-1,480 metres of water, Xikomba is being developed with nine subsea wells tied back to a combined production and storage ship.
According to operator Esso Exploration Angola, recoverable reserves in the field are 100 million barrels of oil equivalent and plateau production will be around 80,000 barrels per day.
Development of Kizomba A in the same block is due to be completed in the second half of 2004, while work with Kizomba B remains on schedule.
“This gives us early production from block 15 ahead of the major Kizomba A and B projects,” says Petter Øyen, project manager for international oil Angola in International Exploration & Production.
“Bringing block 15 on stream represents an important milestone towards our goal of an Angolan output totalling roughly 100,000 barrels per day by 2007.”
Angola’s state oil company Sonangol is the concessionaire for block 15, in which Esso Exploration Angola has a 40 per cent interest.
In addition to Statoil, the other licensees are BP Exploration with 26.67 per cent and Eni Exploration Angola with 20 per cent.
Statoil also has a 13.33 per cent holding in Angolan offshore blocks 17 and 31.