Williams to provide spar FPS for Tubular Bells deepwater GoM development

Offshore staff

TULSA, Oklahoma – Following Hess Corp.’s announcement to proceed with development of Tubular Bells in the Gulf of Mexico, Williams Partners L.P. says it has moved from letters of intent to signed agreements with Hess and Chevron to provide production handling, export pipeline, oil and gas gathering, and gas processing to the development.

The development will use Williams’ proprietary FPS system Gulfstar as a central host facility.

Williams Partners will design, construct and install its Gulfstar FPS with a capacity of 60,000 barrels b/d of oil, up to 200 MMcf/d of natural gas, and the capability to provide seawater injection.

The facility is a spar-based floating production system that uses a traditional three-level topsides mated to a classic spar hull. This standard design allows customers to reduce the time between discovery and first oil. From sanctioning the project to completion, Gulfstar FPS is expected to be delivered in 30 months.

This will be the first spar-based FPS with major components to be built entirely in the U.S. Gulf Coast area. Fabrication of the hull will be in Aransas Pass, Texas. The topsides fabrication will take place in Houma, Louisiana.

10/26/2011