Production drilling at the Hibiscus Ruche Phase 1 development commenced in early January with first oil expected in March 2023, in line with scheduled work plan.

Also the Tortue field installation of the new gas lift compressor is underway onboard the FPSO BW Adolo and is progressing according to previously communicated plans, Panoro Energy has stated.

The British independent has a 17.5% working interest at the Dussafu Marin Permit offshore, Gabon and it expects to deliver 30,000 barrels of oil per day of new production when all the wells are completed and onstream.

Chief Executive Officer of Panoro, John Hamilton described the Hibiscus Ruche Phase 1 development as an important component of Panoro’s organic growth outlook adding, “With the production facilities and flowlines successfully installed, commencement on the Hibiscus Ruche Phase 1 production drilling programme in early January together with the imminent commissioning of the new gas lift compressor at the producing Tortue field keeps us on track to achieve our targeted 2023 peak rate of 12,500 barrels oil per day during the course of the year.”

The Borr Norve jack-up drilling rig arrived on location in late December and spud the first production well, DHIBM-3H, in the first week of January. The well targeting the regionally prolific Gamba sandstone reservoir on the Hibiscus field, is the first in a multi-well drilling campaign at the Hibiscus and Ruche fields which is expected to deliver on a gross basis approximately 30,000 barrels oil per day of new production when all wells are completed and onstream.

Installation of flexible pipelines and risers, completing the 20 kilometre connection between the BW MaBoMo production facility and the FPSO BW Adolo, has also been completed.

At the producing Tortue field, the new gas lift compressor unit to support production from the six existing Tortue wells was received onboard the BW Adolo in December with installation work ongoing. Final commissioning and start-up of the compressor is expected in the first quarter of 2023, the company further said.