By Stanley Onyeka, Lagos
Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), said it has completed the turnaround maintenance on the Bonga Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, leading to resumption of production at Nigeria’s premier deepwater field on March 6.
In a statement on Friday, the oil firm said the project was delivered 11 days ahead of schedule and without any safety incident, reinforcing SNEPCo’s longstanding commitment to operational excellence and asset integrity.
SNEPCo Managing Director, Ronald Adams, was quoted as saying: “Completing the turnaround safely and ahead of schedule is a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our Nigerian workforce and the helpful support of our partners.
“The achievement not only secures the long‑term integrity of the Bonga FPSO but also positions us strongly for the successful delivery of the Bonga North project, which will leverage the improved reliability of the FPSO.”
The exercise which began on February 1, highlights SNEPCo’s leading role in advancing deep‑water expertise in Nigeria. Of the 55 companies involved in the execution, 43 were wholly Nigerian.
Additionally, eight of the 12 international service providers maintain operational bases in Nigeria, contributing to knowledge transfer and increased local investments.
More than 1,000 personnel worked offshore during the turnaround, with over 95% being Nigerians involved in maintenance, engineering, operations, inspection and construction.
Thousands more supported activities from onshore locations, reflecting the depth of Nigerian capability in offshore oil and gas operations.
Adams added: “We acknowledge the support of several stakeholders towards the successful execution of the exercise, including the NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), and our partners.”
The achievement not only secures the long‑term integrity of the Bonga FPSO but also positions us strongly for the successful delivery of the Bonga North project, which will leverage the improved reliability of the FPSO.
