By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The routine maintenance of the Bonga field floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel operated by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) has been completed.
On May 21, 2020, Shell shutdown the FPSO vessel for rehabilitation, including statutory recertification and critical asset integrity activities, targeted at improving production and storage operations and on June 15, 2020, it was completed.
This has increased the production of crude oil from Nigeria by about 225,000 barrels per day.
“The Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading vessel was restarted on June 15, 2020, and production is ramping up after the successful completion of the Scheduled Maintenance Activities ahead of schedule,” the firm said.
Shell further said, “The health, welfare and safety of our staff remain our topmost priority and we have in place a business continuity plan for the continued safe operations of our facilities.
“We also have an offshore medical support and health protocol for managing any suspected case of COVID-19 in addition to pre-offshore mobilisation medical screening in line with country regulations and with guidance from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.”
SNEPCo operates the Bonga vessel in partnership with other energy firms in the country including Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited, Esso Exploration, Production Nigeria (Deep Water) Limited and Total under a production sharing contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
About one-third of Nigeria’s deep-water production comes from the Bonga and Erha fields.
SNEPCo, a wholly-owned Shell company, has interests in four deep-water blocks; two of which it operates. It develops and deploys the latest deep-water drilling techniques to reduce drilling times, cut costs and increase production.
Dipo Olowookere 
Adedapo Adesanya