1 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
Abu Qir was discovered by Phillips Petroleum on 1979.
The Abu Qir field production started on March 29th 1979 with one off-shore platform under operations by WEPCO: A/Q P-I equipped with 9 wells and relevant pre-treatment facilities for an overall capacity of 125 MMSCFD (3.5 MSm3/d). The platform was provided with helideck and living quarters.
At the same time the on-shore facilities station of Al Meadia was started-up in order to adequate gas quality to the grid requirements and distribute gas to consumers via pipe-line. Condensate was stabilized and transported by trucks to petroleum refinery companies in Alexandria.
A second off-shore platform (A/Q PII and A/Q PQ) was built by the beginning of 1985 with 9 wells and relevant pre-treatment facilities for an overall capacity of 150 MMSCFD (4.3 MSm3/d). The platform consisted in two bridge connected units: the A/Q-PII accommodating wells and pre-treatment facilities and A/Q-PQ with living quarter module and utilities.
The North Abu Qir field was discovered in 1978 by ELF and production started in 1989 with two wells and 40 MMSCFD production capacity.
In 1991 the platform had been developed by adding four production wells so reaching a total production capacity of 150 MMSCFD (4.3 MSm3/d).
North Abu Qir off-shore plant consists of two platforms: NA/Q P-1P/U equipped with helideck, utilities and living quarter module and NA/Q P-1D accommodating the six wells and relevant facilities.
West Abu Qir (WA/Q PI) platform was put in service in 1994 with 2 wells for a total production of 30 MMSCFD (0.9 MSm3/d). WA/Q PI is a minimum facilities platform equipped with helideck.
By 1995 two off-shore bridge connected compression stations were added to A/Q PI and A/Q P-II respectively A/Q P1-C and A/Q P2-C. The project aimed to keep sufficient pressure (maximum 1300 psi) to complete gas processing. Each platform included two off-shore gas compression stations and relevant utilities.
In January 2009 Edison International S.p.A. has become the owner of 100% Contractor’s participating interests under the Concession Agreement for the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in the Abu Qir Area.
Abu Qir Petroleum (AQP) is the Company in charge of the development and Operations of the North Abu Qir field; AQP is based in Alexandria.
During Q2 2009, AQP started the engineering activities to install a new platform, named NAQ PII, in the North Abu Qir Field. The platform has been started up in May 2011.
The platform houses six slots, 4 wells, two single completion type and two double completion type for an overall maximum capacity of 100 MMSCFD (2.8 MSm3/d).
The platform is a minimum facilities type, process treatment is performed by the nearby platform NA/Q PI connected to the NA/Q PII via a 5 km, 12” sealine.