Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company (Adma-Opco) is planning a major demothballing project that will increase crude production capacity from the offshore lower Zakum field by 100,000 barrels a day (b/d) to 425,000 b/d.

The project calls for topside modification of the Zakum centre super complex (ZCSC), including the upgrade and recomissioning of a CSP platform, five separators to handle 300,000 b/d, mechanical and electrical services, water injection platforms, and an 80-man accommodation development.

The demothballing scheme was initiated four years ago - with Paris-based Technip carrying out front-end engineering and design (FEED) - but was judged to have been financially unviable at the time.

Rising oil prices and a decision by the government to increase lower Zakum production capacity by 100,000 b/d led to the project being reactivated last year. Technip has been carrying out an updated FEED, which is expected to be completed by the end of April.

The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package is due to be tendered in either the second or third quarters.

Before then, the client is preparing to issue a tender for the project management consultancy (PMC) contract to verify the updated FEED and supervise the EPC phase. Expressions of interest from international companies were submitted in March.

The PMC deal will additionally cover the Zakum/Umm Shaif power upgrade project to upgrade the interconnection between the Zakum west super complex (ZWSC) main and GG-II power plants to meet the increased power demand from the ZWSC water injection system upgrade and Zakum gas processing facility projects.

The PMC may also take responsibility for the Zakum water injection system upgrade scheme. The project involves the upgrading of seven existing water injection modules at ZWSC and ZCSC to sustain Zakum production capacity of 325,000 b/d by 2008 and 425,000 b/d by 2010, and achieve a peak water injection rate of 600,000 b/d of water. The work also includes a water injection plant with a capacity of 120,000 barrels of water a day.

Pre-FEED on the water upgrade project is complete, with FEED scheduled to start by the summer.

A tender for the EPC contract is expected to be issued next year (MEED 2:3:07).