Expro Group is investing in a new multimillion-dollar facility at Takoradi, Ghana, to capitalise on opportunities in this West African state’s emerging offshore industry.
The Aberdeen-headquartered company is currently operating out of Takoradi with 28 employees, working on the Tullow-operated Jubilee development.
The contract covers the supply of deepwater electrohydraulic subsea services, in addition to a range of other services.
Expro has been involved with Tullow’s Ghana adventure since the exploration and appraisal phase of Jubilee through to the fast-track delivery of a high-end electrohydraulic subsea completion system.
The decision to construct a new site means all project activity, including well testing, clean-up, sampling and PVT (pressure, volume, temperature) services, can be co-ordinated and monitored from a custom-built, fully integrated facility.
The bespoke 8,000sq m facility, which will house extensive workshop and office space, is being developed around “modular concepts” which, says Expro, will provide efficient work areas and can be expanded with greater ease as future operations in the region dictate.
Expro’s Southern & West Africa (SWA) region director, Kenny Inkster, said: “The Jubilee contract is an important part of our future plans in the region, and Expro’s capabilities in all aspects of well flow management mean we are well positioned as Ghana develops through 2010 and beyond.
“Having a permanent operational base in Ghana will ensure we can offer the most efficient and effective service, as well as continuing to develop our presence in the challenging subsea deepwater environments.
“Our plans for the Takoradi site are making excellent progress and we are confident that the new facility – combined with the expertise of our people and our latest subsea technologies – will allow us to continue to deliver to the highest standards every time at this exciting period for the region.”
West Africa has been a major focus for Expro in recent years, with a number of significant contracts secured. Almost 600 people are currently working across the group’s SWA region and the company is continuing to invest in people, technology and infrastructure to position itself for subsea and deepwater growth opportunities.
As for the Jubilee project, this ranks among the largest offshore developments currently under way anywhere in the world.
For Ghana, its discovery heralded a spectacular entry to the offshore hydrocarbons club.
Jubilee is located on the West Cape Three Points block, with first commercial oil on track for late this year.
The project’s partners have indicated that phase one will produce in excess of the planned 300million barrels of recoverable oil.
The designed production capacity of phase one is 120,000 barrels per day, based on a floating production system.