Production from Ghana's Jubilee oil field is expected to start "around April 9", almost three weeks after liftings of the Jubilee export grade were put under force majeure due to a technical hitch at the FPSO facility, field operator Tullow Oil said in a statement late-Sunday.
The statement also said planned maintenance which commenced on March 20 and was expected to last two weeks, has now been extended to April 5.
"Oil production and gas export from the Jubilee field is now expected to restart around April 9 to allow for final preparation of new off-take arrangements which involve the use of a dynamically-positioned shuttle tanker and a storage tanker," Tullow Oil said.
Force majeure was declared on March 10, due to operational procedures caused by the turret of the FPSO vessel.
In mid-February, Tullow had identified a "potential issue" with the FPSO turret for Jubilee, which is pumping more than 100,000 b/d.
Two Jubilee cargoes are expected to load in April according to trading sources, compared to three in the original April loading program.
Average production this year at Jubilee will fall to an average of 101,000 b/d from 102,600 b/d in 2015 due to the planned maintenance, Tullow said February 10.
Jubilee, a light sweet crude oil grade produced and exported directly from the FPSO without using onshore facilities, has an API gravity of 37.6 degrees and a sulfur content of 0.25%.
Jubilee crude is now a regular part of the slate of a range of refiners in Africa, Asia and Europe.
Jubilee has seen steady buying interest in recent months, with fewer wide swings in price than most West African crude grades have seen recently.
Tullow has a 49.95% operating interest in the Deepwater Tano license in which the Jubilee field is located. It is partnered in the block by Kosmos (18%), Anadarko Petroleum (18%), Sabre Oil & Gas (4.05%) and Ghana National Petroleum Corp. (10% carried interest).
