Kizomba Satellites Phase 2 onstream

Oil production has begun ahead of schedule at the Kizomba Satellites Phase 2 project in block 15 offshore Angola. ExxonMobil, operator, holds a 40% stake in the block, partnered by BP (26.67%), Eni (20%), and Statoil (13.33%). Sonangol is the concessionaire.

Kizomba Satellites Phase 2 comprises development of the Kakocha, Bavuca and Mondo South fields. Mondo South is the first field to begin production, developed via tie-backs to the Mondo FPSO. The Kakocha and Bavuca fields will be tied back to the Kizomba B FPSO. The project develops approximately 190mn barrels of oil with peak production currently estimated at 70,000 boe/d. It is expected to increase total daily block 15 production to 350,000 barrels.

ExxonMobil was awarded block 15 in 1994. To date, it has discovered a total of approximately 5bn boe, while production has exceeded 1.8bn barrels. Kizomba Satellites Phase 1 started production in 2012.

Cold Lake project expansion

ExxonMobil also reports that bitumen production has begun at the Cold Lake Nabiye project expansion in north-eastern Alberta, Canada. The $2bn expansion is producing about 20,000 b/d and volumes are expected to increase during the year to peak at 40,000 b/d. Nabiye will access 280mn barrrels of recoverable resources during the project’s expected 30-year lifespan.

ExxonMobil expects to increase company production volumes this year by 2% to 4.1mn boe/d, driven by 7% liquids growth. The volume increase is supported by the ramp up of several projects completed in 2014 and the expected start-up of seven new major developments in 2015, including Hadrian South in the Gulf of Mexico, expansion of the Kearl project in Canada, Banyu Urip in Indonesia and deepwater expansion projects at Erha in Nigeria and Kizomba in Angola.