MAN technology for offshore gas production in Mexico

“We are honored that MODEC has demonstrated its confidence in our compressor technology systems. Once again, our company is delivering efficient high-end compression technology to a respected customer," states Basil Zweifel, Vice President Sales Oil & Gas at MAN Energy Solutions. “This major project gives MAN Energy Solutions the opportunity to support the advancement of the energy industry in Mexico.”

The compressor trains are to be used in gas production on a new FPSO (Floating Production Storage and Offloading) vessel, which will be supplied, owned and operated by MODEC, a leading Japanese offshore oil and gas production service provider. The FPSO will be deployed in the offshore Area 1 block, about ten kilometers off the coast of Mexico at a water depth approximately 32 meters. A consortium of two companies including Eni Mexico as operator and Qatar Petroleum owns area 1 block.

The total order comprises six centrifugal compressor trains: three medium-/high pressure (MP/HP) and two low pressure (LP) as well as one fuel gas compressor train with one single stage centrifugal compressor driven by a fixed speed electric motor. The MP/HP compressor trains consist of three intercooled two-stage centrifugal compressors driven by a fixed speed electric motor, while the LP compressor trains consist of two single stage centrifugal compressors driven by a variable speed electric motor. All compression systems will be designed, manufactured and tested by MAN Energy Solutions in Zurich (Switzerland).

The high-end machines will be ready for installation in the FPSO in February 2020. Once they are in operation, the compression systems will help maintaining the pressure of ENI’s Area 1 field, thus maximizing the quantity and efficiency of gas production. The FPSO will be capable of processing a total of 90,000 barrels of crude oil per day and 75 million cubic feet of gas per day. The first production is scheduled for 2021.

"Today, the oil and gas industry is asking for the most efficient solutions at the best value to tackle the cost constraints as well as for short delivery times to start the production as soon as possible. MAN Energy Solutions has the right system solutions and technology knowhow to fully support these goals," explains Christopher Bowles, Head of Sales Oil & Gas Upstream at MAN Energy Solutions. “We worked on other successful projects with MODEC in the past and we are looking forward to continuing our fruitful collaboration for the years to come.”