On Saturday, 15 February, BW Offshore celebrated the naming ceremony of BW Opal, one of the most advanced FPSO units in the industry. The event took place at Seatrium yard in Singapore, bringing together over 125 guests, including representatives from Santos, BW Group, and the Norwegian Embassy, as well as other key stakeholders, project partners, and members of the BW Offshore team.
This momentous event marks a significant milestone in offshore energy production with BW Offshore’s innovative design and sustainability efforts.
The project has been a remarkable journey since its inception in 2020. With the first gas production expected in 2025, the BW Opal will operate under a Lease and Operate contract worth USD 4.6 billion, with a 15-year firm period and 10 years of options.
The BW Opal FPSO stands as one of the largest and most technically advanced units ever built, with a hull length of 358 meters and a width of 64 meters. It will have a gas handling capacity of 850 million standard cubic feet per day and a design capacity of 11,000 barrels per day of stabilised condensate. The unit will be turret moored, with a hull built using BW Offshore’s innovative RapidFramework® design engineered to support advanced topsides, which weigh in at a staggering 45,000 tons.
Technological innovation and sustainability at the core
BW Offshore’s commitment to sustainability is evident in BW Opal’s design. With cutting-edge energy-efficient technologies, the FPSO will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% compared to traditional systems. This translates to a reduction of up to 2.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over the life of the asset. Additionally, a state-of-the-art combined-cycle gas turbine system with waste heat recovery will lower energy consumption by up to 66% compared to industry standards, helping to maximise both economic and environmental performance.
The final phase, which began with the hull’s arrival in Singapore in November 2023, has included several major milestones, culminating in the final module lift in May 2024. Ongoing integration and commissioning work ensures that the unit will meet the highest safety, efficiency, and reliability standards as the unit gets ready to commence production.
The Barossa project is a $5.8 billion investment by Santos Ltd and is located 300 kilometers north of Darwin. After years of legal and environmental challenges, the project will begin production this year. The project includes six subsea production wells, FPSOs and a 262-kilometer-long export pipeline that connects to the Bayu-Undan to Darwin pipeline.
Seatrium said that it has now successfully delivered more than 260 FPUs, FPSO conversions and newbuilds. “BW Opal” is the company’s 18th FPSO for BW Offshore, further strengthening its leading position in the market.