Williams Partners reports progress on Gulfstar One FPS in deepwater GoM
Offshore staff
HOUSTON – Williams Partners LP (NYSE: WPZ) has reported key construction milestones and progress on a tieback expansion as its proprietary Gulfstar floating production system (FPS) nears completion in the eastern deepwater Gulf of Mexico. The Gulfstar One project is the first spar-based FPS with major components built entirely in the US.
After mooring the floating spar to the ocean floor in February, crews in March lifted and installedGulfstar's three-level topside structure. The FPS is moored 135 mi (217 km) southeast of New Orleans, in about 4,000 ft (1,219 m) of water. It will serve as a hub that aggregates production and then combines production handling services with oil and gas export pipeline services, which feed Williams' downstream oil and gas gathering and processing services.
Once operational, theGulfstar's base design will produce up to 60,000 b/d and 135 MMcf/d (3.8 MMcm/d) of gas with additional tieback capacity. With hook-up and commissioning activities currently under way, the project is on schedule to start serving anchor customers in 3Q 2014.
Williams Partners has a 51% ownership interest.Marubeni Corp. holds the remaining 49% interest.
03/24/2014