KUALA LUMPUR (April 30): ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc, an ExxonMobil subsidiary, today announced the successful installation of the Tapis R topsides offshore platform.   

Tapis R is one of the largest offshore platform in Southeast Asia and is a key component of the Tapis Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) project.

The Tapis EOR project is one of several oil and gas investments announced in January 2011 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, as part of the country’s Economic Transformation Programme.

Under the programme, ExxonMobil and joint-venture partner, Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, is investing approximately RM10 billion in new oil and gas assets, to help ensure reliable and sustainable energy supplies for Malaysia.

"The Tapis EOR project will enhance production from the Tapis field, which has been producing since 1978," said ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc President, See Kok Yew, in a statement today.

"The EOR process will use alternating water and gas injection to improve oil recovery from this mature field, over the long-term.

"ExxonMobil remains committed to its partnership with Petronas and Petronas Carigali, in applying innovative technology to Malaysia's oil and gas production, to meet the country’s increasing energy needs," said See, who is also Chairman of ExxonMobil subsidiaries in Malaysia.

The Tapis R topsides was constructed as one large integrated deck, which includes gas compression and water injection facilities, production-processing equipment, utility systems and living quarters for 145 people.

Fully-designed and constructed in Malaysia, the Tapis R topsides deck was fabricated by Malaysia Marine & Heavy Engineering, based on a RM1.4 billion contract awarded by ExxonMobil in November 2011.

The contract also included the construction of the Tapis Q riser platform, which was installed in October 2012, and the installation of access bridges, which would link the new Tapis R and Tapis Q platforms with the existing Tapis B platform.

About 50 kilometres of new pipeline have been installed to distribute gas and water injection from Tapis R and to receive full-well stream production from the existing Tapis platforms.

A main oil pipeline was also installed to export production from Tapis R.

Hook-up and commissioning will continue over the next few months at the Tapis R platform, in preparation for water-alternating-gas injection activities which are to start in the third quarter of 2014.