Energy firm achieves first gas at Trinidad project

The energy company, bp Trinidad and Tobago LLC, bpTT, has confirmed that its Matapal project has safely achieved first gas ahead of schedule and under budget, despite the constraints brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement, bpTT said that Matapal is its second subsea development and is comprised of three wells helping to minimise development costs and the associated carbon footprint. It’s located approximately 80 kilometres off the southeast coast of Trinidad and approximately eight kilometres east of Juniper, in a water depth of 163 metres.

“Natural gas will play an important role in the energy transition and to the economy of Trinidad and Tobago for decades to come,” said bpTT President Claire Fitzpatrick.

“This is why our team at bpTT has worked diligently to safely start up our Matapal project, which we successfully achieved both under budget and ahead of schedule. We are committed to a strong energy future in Trinidad and Tobago and this project plays a critical role in delivering that,” she added.

The company said that Matapal will deliver gas into the Trinidad market from resources discovered by the Savannah exploration well, drilled in 2017.

It said that the initial production from this development is expected to be in the range of 250 million to 350 million standard cubic feet per day, “once all wells are fully ramped up”.

The company said fabrication work on Matapal began in 2019.

“The project required modification to the existing Juniper platform, as well as the construction and installation of new subsea equipment. Importantly, the majority of fabrication work required to adapt the Juniper platform for new production was completed locally. Hydrocarbons from Matapal will be transported to the Juniper platform via two nine kilometre flexible flowlines,” bpTT added.

With an investment of approximately US$2 billion,, Juniper is BP’s first subsea field development in Trinidad. It produces gas from the Corallita and Lantana fields via the new Juniper platform, 80 kilometres off the southeast coast of the island.

BpTT said that with 15 offshore production platforms, it is the country’s largest hydrocarbon producer, accounting for about 55 per cent of the nation’s gas production.

CMC