Production Starts from Congo's Biggest Offshore Project

Total has started up production from the Moho Nord, the biggest oil development to date in the Republic of Congo.

The field is situated 75 kilometers offshore from Pointe-Noire, and the project has a production capacity of 100,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The Moho Nord field is developed through 34 wells tied back to a new tension leg platform, the first for Total in Africa, and to Likouf, a new floating production unit. The oil is processed on Likouf and then exported by pipeline to the Djeno onshore terminal, also operated by Total.

The facilities are designed to minimize their environmental footprint. There will be no routine flaring and the all-electric design improves energy efficiency by optimizing the amount of power needed to run the installations. All the produced water will be reinjected into the reservoir.

Total is the operator of the project with a 53.5 percent interest. Its partners are Chevron Overseas (Congo) Limited (31.5 percent) and Société Nationale des Pétroles du Congo (15 percent).

Total has been present in the Republic of the Congo for nearly 50 years and is the country’s leading oil producer. The Group operates nearly half of the Country’s domestic production. In 2016, Total’s equity share of production averaged 89,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Congo's economy is heavily dependent on its oil production as it accounted for almost 87 percent of the country's export revenues and almost 80 percent of the government's total revenue in 2011, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The majority of oil and natural gas exploration and production activities are conducted offshore. Congo's first deepwater field came online in 2008, boosting oil production. However, over the past few years, oil production decreased as a result of natural declines at mature fields.

Congo holds sizable proved natural gas reserves, but only small amounts are commercialized because of the lack of infrastructure.