The Dalia oil field on the Angolan continental shelf was brought on stream on 13 December. Statoil has a 13.33% working interest.
Dalia is the third of the 15 discoveries in block 17 to be put into production. According to the operator Total, the recoverable reserves in the field are estimated to be close to one billion barrels of oil.
“This is the largest Angolan field in which we have a holding,” reports Roald Riise, vice president for development and production in west Africa.
“Bringing it on stream will double our production from block 17, which is fantastically rich in resources. We’re now writing a new chapter in a success story.”
Discovered in 1997, Dalia lies in about 1,200 to 1,500 metres of water. It is expected to reach plateau production of 240,000 barrels of oil per day during the first half of 2007.
Dalia FPSO at anchor on the field.
The field will be developed with 37 production wells, 31 water injectors and three gas injectors tied back to a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.
This is similar to the solution adopted for the Girassol field, also in block 17. Both FPSOs are among the world’s largest, each with a storage capacity of roughly two million barrels.
Girassol came on stream in late 2001, and the Jasmim satellite was tied back to the Girassol FPSO two years later.
The Rosa field will be phased into the Girassol vessel in the first half of 2007. The Girassol FPSO will thereby maintain its plateau production of 250,000 barrels of oil. The Rosa field has substantial reserves.
"We're only halfway in the development of block 17," notes Mr Riise. "In just a few years there could be four FPSOs in the block.
"In addition to Girassol and Dalia which are now producing, the Pazflor field is in the final bidding process before sanction, and CLOV, a fourth major production area based on the Cravo, Lirio, Orquidea and Violeta discoveries is currently being studied.
"And exploration in the block is still under way."
The 15 discoveries in block 17 lie in 800-1,500 metres of water, about 200 kilometres north-west of the Angolan capital, Luanda.
In addition to Total with 40%, Statoil’s partners in the block are ExxonMobil with 20%, BP 16.67% and Hydro 10%. Angolan state oil company Sonangol is the concessionaire.
Angola is the largest contributor to Statoil's oil production outside the Norwegian continental shelf.