SBM Offshore says GranMorgu FPSO will be its largest unit to date

June 25 (oinow.gy) SBM Offshore says the GranMorgu floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit will be the largest FPSO it has delivered to date, as construction advances in China for Suriname’s first offshore oil development.

Pierre Gaté, Country Entry Manager for SBM Offshore Suriname, provided the update on day 2 of the Suriname Energy, Oil and Gas Summit (SEOGS) in Paramaribo. His presentation focused on the GranMorgu FPSO, which will support TotalEnergies’ Block 58 development, where first oil is targeted for 2028.  

“The FPSO is now on dry dock in China,” Gaté said.

The vessel will be installed about 180 kilometers off the coast of Paramaribo. He explained that SBM Offshore is one of several tier one contractors on the development and is responsible for engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and the first three years of operations and maintenance.

According to Gaté, the GranMorgu FPSO will be 334 meters long, with 50,000 tonnes of topsides and a total vessel weight of 120,000 tonnes. Oil production capacity is set at 220,000 barrels of oil per day.

“The one coming here, for Suriname, is actually the largest FPSO we’ve done to date,” he noted.

The GranMorgu FPSO is based on SBM Offshore’s Fast4Ward standardized design, an approach introduced to shorten delivery times and reduce costs through the use of a pre-built multipurpose hull and repeatable topsides modules. The concept made its commercial debut in Guyana with the Liza Unity FPSO, which started production in the Stabroek Block in 2022. Since then, SBM Offshore has deployed the design on other projects, including the Prosperity FPSO in Guyana and FPSO Almirante Tamandaré in Brazil.

Gaté said it incorporates several technologies aimed at reducing emissions, including a closed flare system with no routine flaring, deepwater intake for cooling and an all-electric configuration.

He said the in-country scope during construction is limited because work is being carried out overseas. However, SBM Offshore is preparing to maximize local participation once the vessel enters service.

Six Surinamese trainees are currently in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as part of preparations for operations. They will move to China next year before returning to support activities in Suriname.

“Once we are ready for start-up by mid-2028, then we will make sure that our workforce and our supply chain are as local as possible,” Gaté said.

He stressed that developing local content also makes commercial sense.

“You want your supply chain to be local, you want to source your workforce, source your supply chain locally,” he said.

Construction activities are expected to continue through 2027, with module integration and commissioning scheduled ahead of the FPSO’s sailaway and installation offshore Suriname in early 2028.