Production began less than 10 months after project commitment. Field size, crude quality, and economics led the operator to adopt a fast-track development plan. Objectives of the Roncador EPS were collection of key reservoir data, tests of new technologies for ultradeepwater development, and optimization of future full-field development. The Seillan FPSO was connected to two subsea wells in 6,070 ft water depth through a drillpipe production riser. The Seillan can process as much as 20,000 BOPD and store 300,000 bbl.
Oil is exported in a shuttle tanker.
During Phase 1, use of a semisubmersible floating production unit and a floating storage unit will allow the EPS to be relocated to test heavy crude wells that will be developed in Phase 2. Reservoir and production data provided by an EPS include well productivity, recoverable reserves, information used to select appropriate reservoir-monitoring equipment, field production profile, and information used to determine well location. EPS use requires adoption of an operating philosophy focused on capital expenditure reduction. Usually, reservoir areas that are easiest to produce and wells that require simple completions and conventional process facilities are produced first. Capital expenditure reductions result from the following.