Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has announced the commencement of a planned turnaround maintenance programme on the Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the company explained that the maintenance is a mandatory integrity and safety exercise aimed at extending the operational lifespan of the facility. According to SNEPCo, production activities at the FPSO are expected to restart in March once the exercise is completed.
Managing Director of SNEPCo, Ronald Adams, said the maintenance programme is intended to guarantee safe and efficient operations for at least another 15 years, while also minimising unexpected production disruptions and improving the asset’s overall durability.
He noted that the scope of work covers statutory inspections, certifications, regulatory compliance checks, major integrity upgrades, engineering improvements to support long-term performance, and subsea assurance activities.
The Bonga FPSO, located about 120 kilometres offshore in water depths of over 1,000 metres, has a production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil and 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.
SNEPCo stressed that preserving the integrity of the FPSO is vital to sustaining stable oil production and supporting Nigeria’s broader energy security and revenue goals.
The company added that the maintenance exercise comes at a critical time, following the 2024 final investment decision by its joint venture partners on the Bonga North subsea tie-back project, which will rely on the enhanced performance and reliability of the Bonga FPSO.
According to the statement, the last turnaround maintenance on the vessel was carried out in October 2022, while the asset produced its one-billionth barrel of oil on February 1, 2023, since operations began in 2005.
SNEPCo operates the Bonga field alongside Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited under a Production Sharing Contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.
However, the company did not disclose the expected impact of the maintenance on daily crude oil output.
