ExxonMobil yesterday said that the reassembly of the Liza Destiny oil platform’s flash gas compressor has been completed and is now being prepared for testing at the MAN Energy Solutions workshop in Germany.
It also says that it is continuing to manage production and flare levels on the platform.
Almost a month ago, Exxon revealed that the flash gas compressor on the Liza Destiny floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) platform had malfunctioned resulting in it having to temporarily increase flaring above pilot levels in order to maintain safe operations.
Following the malfunction, the gas compressor and other key parts from the FPSO were sent to Germany for repairs. In an operations update yesterday, Exxon said that the reassembly of the flash gas compressor has been completed and is now being prepared for testing. It was noted that over the weekend, the MAN team completed adjustments to achieve the required clearances on the discharge side of the compressor and also, verification of internal machinery profiles.
Additionally, the statement said that technical experts are also finalizing upgrades to the suction silencer and recommendations for the scope of repairs and potential upgrade to the discharge silencer.
Technical experts are finalizing upgrades to the suction silencer and recommendations for the scope of repairs and potential upgrades to the discharge silencer.
“On the Liza Destiny, we continue to manage production and flare levels, maintaining a careful balance of sustained production and appropriate environmental considerations,” the statement said, before adding that regular updates are provided to the government and other key stakeholders.
Exxon stated that they are working tirelessly to restore operations and reduce the flare to pilot levels of less than one percent of the produced gas.
No timeline on the expected completion of repairs was provided but the oil company had recently stated that it could take eight weeks.
Following the removal of the gas compressor, oil production was pared to 120,000 barrels per day (bpd) – the previously stated maximum capacity of the FPSO – while gas flaring has increased to 16 million cubic feet per day.
The latest update provided by the Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat indicated that oil production was between 110,000 bpd and 115,000 bpd.
According to the former director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr. Vincent Adams, Exxon would need to be producing 105,000 bpd in order to bring flaring into compliance with the Liza-1 permit. He said had he still been the Director he would have gone as far shutting down Exxon’s operations until it brought flaring under control and corrected its equipment problems.
