EMEM FPSO Sets Sail From Dubai After Major Conversion For Nigeria’s Okwok Field

Drydocks World has completed the full conversion and integration of the EMEM Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel, delivering an important offshore asset that will support oil production at Nigeria’s Okwok field.

The vessel sailed away from Drydocks World’s Dubai facility after a ceremony held on 8 November, marking the end of an extensive engineering project commissioned by World Carrier Corporation on behalf of Oriental Energy Resources Limited.

Drydocks World, a DP World company, carried out a complete refurbishment and conversion of the former oil tanker. The project included significant structural modifications, extensive marine system upgrades, and the installation and integration of 19 topside production and utility modules.

These upgrades transformed the vessel into a fully operational offshore production unit designed for long-term deployment.

Captain Rado Antolovic, CEO of Drydocks World, said that the company has completed more than 50 major vessel refurbishment and conversion projects, including over 30 FPSO units.

The EMEM FPSO has been built to support production at Nigeria’s Okwok oil field under Petroleum Mining Lease 15. Once operational, it will be able to process up to 70,000 barrels of total liquids per day, manage about 15 million standard cubic feet of gas daily, and store up to one million barrels of crude oil.

The unit is designed to operate continuously for up to 15 years without drydocking and is expected to begin production in the first quarter of 2026.

The vessel was officially named in December 2024 during a ceremony attended by Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, along with senior government and industry leaders.

At the sailaway ceremony, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission reaffirmed its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Project 1 Million Barrels Incremental Initiative.

The Commission Chief Executive, Engr. Gbenga Komolafe, was represented by Executive Commissioner for Development and Production, Enorense Amadasu. Komolafe said that the initiative aims to lift Nigeria’s crude oil output through targeted and impactful developments. He stated that the EMEM FPSO fits into this national goal and demonstrates that Nigeria can achieve stable production and export levels with strong regulation, technical input and industry commitment.

The Commission also praised Oriental Energy Resources Limited for maintaining safety standards and supporting growth through indigenous innovation.

According to the regulator, the EMEM FPSO will process around 40,000 barrels of oil per day and store up to one million barrels, helping to strengthen Nigeria’s production capacity.

Reference: Drydocks World

Source: Maritime Shipping News