Eni starts production from Cinguvu field, offshore Angola

MILAN -- Eni has started production, two weeks ahead of schedule, at Cinguvu oil field, from the West Hub Development Project in Block 15/06 in the Angolan Deep Offshore. The start-up follows the achievement of West Hub’s first oil last November through Sangos field.

The West Hub Development Project encompasses the development of Sangos, Cinguvu, Mpungi, Mpungi North and Vandumbu fields, in water depths ranging from 1,000 m to 1,500 m.

The wells are arranged in clusters and connected to the N’Goma FPSO, which has a treatment capacity of 100,000 bopd.

The two fields on stream, Sangos and Cinguvu, are currently producing about 60,000 bopd through the N’Goma FPSO. Production is envisaged to ramp up to 100,000 bopd in the last quarter of 2015, with the start-up of the third field, Mpungi, which will also be connected to the FPSO.

The development project started with a very successful exploration campaign. Eni discovered over 3 Bbbl of oil in place in Block 15/06. The discoveries were then developed quickly and efficiently, achieving an industry-leading time to market of only 44 months from the Declaration of Commercial Discovery.

"This is indeed another important step within the innovative hub-building strategy at the base of our success in Block 15-06 in Angola. A second field, Cinguvu, came on stream on time and on budget, after Sangos in November 2014, confirming our excellent track record in terms of efficiency, technology and innovation," CEO Claudio Descalzi said.

Eni is continuing its exploration program in Block 15/06; new discoveries are expected to be tied to the existing production infrastructures quickly and cost efficiently.

Eni is operator of Block 15/06 with a 35% stake and Sonangol EP is the Concessionaire. The other partners of the joint venture are Sonangol Pesquisa e Produção (35%), SSI Fifteen Limited (25%) and Falcon Oil Holding Angola SA (5%).