Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited has commenced a planned maintenance programme on its Bonga Floating Production Storage and Offloading vessel. The company stated this is a turnaround maintenance activity designed to extend the asset’s operational life and strengthen its structural and operational integrity for the long term.
The FPSO is a key fixed offshore facility that processes and stores crude oil and gas produced from the deepwater Bonga field. It has a rated capacity of about 225,000 barrels of oil per day and roughly 150 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. The unit is located approximately 120 kilometres offshore in water depths exceeding 1,000 metres.
Shell’s Managing Director, Ronald Adams, said the maintenance is “designed to ensure the FPSO continues to operate safely and efficiently for the next 15 years, while reducing unplanned deferments and strengthening the asset’s overall resilience.” The company expects the work to be completed and the vessel to resume operations in March.
The scope of the maintenance work covers statutory inspections, certification and regulatory compliance checks, major integrity upgrades, engineering modifications, and subsea assurance activities. These elements are structured to address both asset reliability and long-term performance challenges.
Shell framed the maintenance as essential to national energy stability. It said the integrity of the FPSO is fundamental to stable oil production and revenue flows for Nigeria. The company noted this year’s turnaround occurs at a strategic moment, following the 2024 final investment decision on the Bonga North subsea tie-back development that will depend on the FPSO’s enhanced capacity and reliability.
The statement also recalled that the last major turnaround maintenance on the Bonga FPSO took place in October 2022. At that time, the vessel marked a significant milestone by delivering its one-billionth barrel of oil since production began in 2005.
The timing of this maintenance has immediate economic effects. With the vessel offline, Nigeria’s oil exports are projected to fall by about 225,000 barrels per day in February, and gas output may decline by about 150 million standard cubic feet per day. This reduction reflects the FPSO’s central role in the country’s offshore oil and gas output.
The rationale Shell provided for the turnaround is straightforward: scheduled maintenance and compliance checks reduce the likelihood of unplanned outages, sustain operational safety, and embed resilience in asset performance. By investing in integrity upgrades and engineering adjustments, the company aims to minimise future disruptions.
Shell operates the Bonga field under a production sharing contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and in partnership with Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited.
From a broader industry perspective, turnaround maintenance is a standard but critical activity for offshore assets of this scale and age. FPSOs globally require periodic shutdowns to confirm structural soundness, meet regulatory requirements, and implement technical improvements. Delaying these programmes can elevate risk and increase the potential cost of unplanned failures.
Shell’s decision to proceed with the Bonga FPSO maintenance is a planned strategic move. It prioritises safety, regulatory compliance, and asset longevity while acknowledging the short-term production and export impact. The maintenance is presented as a necessary step to support future development plans and sustain the facility’s contribution to Nigeria’s energy sector.
