COSCO to convert FSO Bateau to an FPSO

MODEC International awarded a fourth floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) conversion contract to COSCO Shipyard Group Co. Ltd. The work contract covers the conversion of an FPSO and its final commissioning. COSCO's Dalian shipyard started work on the 1973-built floating storage and offloading vessel (FSO) Bateau, which will be converted into a FPSO capable of processing 350 MMcf/d of gas, 35,000 b/d of oil and storing up to 700,000 barrels of oil.  MODEC expects the conversion to be to complete by the end of 2009.
When complete, the FPSO is scheduled to depart for Brazil to begin a 12-year charter on Petrobras' Urugua/Tambau development.  The vessel will be installed in 4,265 feet (1,300 m) of water on the Urugua field about 100 miles (160 km) from Rio de Janeiro.  First production from the FPSO is now planned for January 2010.

Source: Energy Curren