Covid-19 delays construction work at Peregrino oilfield

Peregrino is Equinor’s largest offshore operation outside Norway, and produces 70 000 to 80 000 bpd, according to the company’s website. Currently, Peregrino is composed of two fixed oil platforms, attached to a FPSO.

Equinor is installing a third oil platform, which will add 273 million bbl of recoverable reserves to the 400 million Peregrino is known to hold. Equinor has said it plans to produce first oil from the new platform by the end of the year.

However, two sources with knowledge of the construction, granted anonymity to discuss private operational matters, said certain labour-intensive operations were being postponed due to social distancing measures being adopted by the company.

One source estimated the process of connecting the new platform to the FPSO, a vital step, was being delayed by roughly two months.

In a statement, Equinor acknowledged it had made adjustments to its operations due to the novel coronavirus, but said it was premature to determine its effects on its construction schedule.

“Equinor’s first priority is ensuring the safety of our employees and suppliers working for us,” Equinor spokesman Erik Haaland wrote in an email.

“The offshore completion activities continue at the C platform, but manning is reduced as a preventive measure to reduce risk of spreading the virus. It is too early to conclude any schedule effects of this.”

On Tuesday evening, national oil regulator ANP divulged that some 74 oil workers who had recently been on offshore installations in Brazil has tested positive for coronavirus. It said there were 897 suspected cases in the industry as a whole.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/offshore-and-subsea/16042020/covid-19-delays-construction-work-at-peregrino-oilfield/