Wafa and Bahr Essalam
15/10/2004
Two locations, one 520 kilometres southwest of Tripoli in North Africa and the other in the Mediterranean about 110 kilometres north of Libya’s capital, may not mean much to most people but both are proving important geographical points for Alfreton based passive fire protection material manufacture Cafco International.
Both pinpoint the location of the gas, oil and condenates fields of Wafa (in NC-169 A permit) and Bahr Essalam (in the NC-41 permit). Both also pinpoint sites where Cafco International’s Fendolite MII passive fire protection systems is being applied to provide four hours protection in hydrocarbon based fires.
Both fields hold recoverable reserves of about 950 million barrels (BOE). The Wafa field is expected to start production in the fourth quarter of 2004 at an initial level of 65,000 boe/day and the Bahr Essalam field in June 2005 at an initial level of 61,000 boe/day. Peak production from the two fields is expected in 2006.
Capital expenditure for the upstream phase of the construction projects, including the installation of an offshore production platform, the construction of onshore and offshore infrastructure including an underwater production facility and the laying of pipelines, is expected to amount to 6.1b Euros. The downstream phase, scheduled for the second half of 2004, includes the laying of an underwater natural gas pipeline to Italy, with a capacity of 8 billion cubic metres/year.
Fendolite MII, a single pack, factory controlled premix based upon vermiculite and Portland cement, has demonstrated its capabilities in jet fires and overpressure situations, as well as resisting damage from water used for fire-fighting intervention. The monolithic coating is able to withstand the thermal shocks experienced by steel in both cellulosic and hydrocarbon fires and is particularly suitable for off-site applications, or for protecting exposed concrete from explosive spalling. The coating’s low denisty provides the considerable advantage of severely constraining dead load, yet the coating will not crack, not spall under mechanical impact.
Cafco International’s history of supplying major petrochemical projects in Libya stretches back to 1984 when it began supplying its Mandolite system for the Bouri offshore field drilling platforms and the Zueitina Oil Co onshore facilities. The Cafco brand encompasse fire protective boards, wet and dry spray systems, intumescent coatings, acoustics and thermal insulation products. The company is established and recogniseed worldwide as a leader in the passive fire protection market.
<<Back