VESSEL CONVERSION | Emem – Large-capacity FPSO to be deployed off Nigeria
Drydocks World in the UAE has completed conversion work on a tanker to enable it to take on a new role as a floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) for Nigeria's Oriental Energy Resources (OERL).
Drydocks World said Emem is a fully converted and integrated offshore production unit that will power Nigeria's Okwok field and support the country's journey toward energy independence.
The 274.2- by 50-metre (899.6- by 160-foot) FPSO will complement OERL’s existing Ebok field production facilities 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) away.
Rebuilt with an extended operational life
The FPSO project was commissioned by World Carrier Corporation on behalf of OERL. The project included extensive structural upgrades, marine system overhauls, and the integration of 19 topside production and utility modules, all executed at Drydocks World's facilities in Dubai with Singapore-based S2nergy providing engineering and project support.
Gbenga Komolafe, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, said that the FPSO aligns with the Nigerian Government's initiative that seeks to increase the country's oil production by one million barrels.
Emem was originally Nordic Mistral, a double-hulled crude tanker with a storage capacity of one million barrels. She has now been rebuilt with a projected operational lifespan of 15 years.
Significant processing capacities suitable for long-term deployment
The FPSO boasts a processing capacity of 40,000 barrels of oil per day as well as systems for produced water treatment (60,000 barrels per day), water injection (60,000 barrels per day), gas processing (15 million standard cubic feet per day), gas lift (7.5 million standard cubic feet per day), and gas injection (3.5 million standard cubic feet per day).
Drakken supplied the FPSO with a 300-tonne module that houses MV and LV transformers, switchgear, variable frequency drives, a power management system, and an Emerson DeltaV integrated control and safety system. The module will supply power and control for the vessel’s topsides production facilities as well as marine systems.
Umbilical cable systems will meanwhile integrate the electrical and automation systems on the wellhead platform, providing the platform’s MV and LV power while interfacing with the control and safety system.
The vessel can accommodate up to 100 personnel and is fitted with a 12-point spread mooring system and a helicopter deck.
Emem will soon arrive at the Okwok field, where first oil is expected within the first quarter of 2026.
