Tengizchevroil launches WPMP operations at Tengiz oi field
ASTANA. April 25 (Interfax) - Tengizchevroil LLP (TCO) has successfully commenced operations at its Wellhead Pressure Management Project (WPMP), at the Tengiz oil field in Kazakhstan, the company's press service said.
"Tengizchevroil LLP (TCO) has safely started operations at its Wellhead Pressure Management Project (WPMP) at the Tengiz oil field, with the conversion of the first metering station to low pressure, and by bringing online the associated Pressure Boost Facility (PBF)," it said.
The WPMP was almost completed on schedule, as initially planned before the second quarter of 2024. This is a key milestone in the company's overall expansion project at Tengiz.
"The WPMP is designed to keep existing Tengiz processing plants at full capacity (of approximately 28 million tonnes per annum), by lowering the flowing pressure at the wellheads and then boosting the pressure to the existing plants. The additional PBF compressors will start up and the remaining metering stations will be converted through the remainder of the year," the company said.
The final stage of TCO's expansion project, known as the Future Growth Project (FGP), is set for completion in the first half of 2025.
This will allow TCO to increase Tengiz crude oil production by an additional 12 million tonnes annually (equivalent to 260,000 barrels per day).
According to TCO, more than $18 billion has been invested in procuring Kazakh goods and services for the FGP-WPMP project to date.
The FGP-WPMP projects were originally scheduled for completion by the end of 2022. However, due to work delays, the deadlines were extended, resulting in an increase in project costs from $45.2 billion to $46.7 billion.
In January 2024, it was announced that the launch of the Future Growth Project (FGP) would be delayed until the second quarter of 2025, while the Wellhead Pressure Management Project (WPMP) would be postponed until the second quarter of 2024.
In February, Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, during a meeting with Derek Magness, the Managing Director of Chevron's Eurasian Division, underscored the urgency of avoiding any further delays in completing the FGP-WPMP projects.
The Tengiz oil and gas field is one of the largest in Kazakhstan, with oil reserves amounting to 3.2 billion tonnes. The current partners of Tengizchevroil LLP are Chevron (50%), ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc (25%), Kazakhstan through KazMunayGas (20%) and Lukoil (5%).