Seplat Energy said it has begun commercial injection of crude oil through the Amukpe-Escravos pipeline.
The 67km (41-mile) pipeline, the bulk of which lies underground, is expected to provide a more reliable and secure export route for liquids from the Nigerian independent’s main assets OML 4, 38 and 41, by connecting them with the Chevron-operated Escravos Terminal.
The pipeline has a capacity of 160,000 barrels per day (bpd), of which the Seplat-NPDC joint venture is entitled to inject 35,000 bpd.
Hydrocarbons first entered Amukpe-Escravos last December, and Chevron had intended to begin lifting crude from the terminal in the second quarter.
However in February Seplat said that while the export line had reached mechanical completion and hydrocarbon introduction had begun, its commercial agreements were still pending.
In a 1 August update the company noted that dewatering was completed on Friday 29 July and a site acceptance test was now underway with commercial volumes.
Until now, the group has relied on the Trans Forcados System, which has experienced numerous disruptions in recent years due to pipeline maintenance and vandalism, which have impacted revenues.
Seplat CEO Roger Brown today added: “The commercial launch of the Amukpe-Escravos Pipeline is a significant event for Seplat Energy and for Nigeria, offering a more secure and reliable export route that will assure higher revenues and profitability for Seplat Energy, enabling us to make a larger contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
“We commend the work that has made this possible and appreciate the efforts of our partners and all contractors involved to create this more reliable and secure export route for Nigeria’s oil.”