Total, operator of Block 17 in Angola, with the Angolan National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency, started production from Zinia Phase 2 short-cycle project, connected to existing Pazflor’s Floating Production, Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO). Nine wells will be drilled as part of the project and expected to produce 40,000 barrels of oil per day (bbls/d) by the mid of 2022, according to Total’s press release.

Zinia Phase 2 located in water depths estimated from 600 to 1,200 meters, about 150 kilometers from the Angolan coast, and its resources are estimated at 65 million barrels of oil (mmbbls).

The development of the project was completed on time with a capital expenditures (Capex) that is more than 10% below budget, saving $150 million. It entailed more than three million man-hours of work, two million of which were performed in Angola without any incident.

Nicolas Terraz, President Africa, Exploration and Production at Total, stated “The successful start-up of this project, despite the challenges that have arisen as a result of the pandemic, demonstrates Total’s commitment to ensure a sustainable output on Block 17, for which the production license was recently extended until 2045.”

For his part, Paulino Jerónimo, CEO of the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency, commented that “Zinia Phase 2 is a key project for Angola that comes at the right time to sustain the production of the country. We welcome our collaboration with Total in Angola, that keeps investing with its partners in the development of the country oil resources.”

It is worth noting that Total holds 38% stake in Block 17, which is also owned by Equinor with 22.16%. ExxonMobil holds 19% while BP Exploration Angola Ltd has 15.84%, and Sonangol has P&P 5%.