The inspectors and engineers of the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) have conducted an offshore regulatory pre-production inspection of Murphy Oil’s King’s Quay floating production system (FPS) platform.
The inspection of the King’s Quay FPS was done on February 2-3. The facility is currently moored in Green Canyon Block 433 in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, some 175 miles south of New Orleans.
“The first offshore follow-up inspection is a very crucial time in the installation of a new production platform in the Gulf,” said BSEE Houma District production supervisor Micah Charpentier.
“It is vital that our team follows up on items or discrepancies onboard the facility including processes, parts installations, components, and safety devices to ensure they represent those of the initial permit submitted by the operator,” he added.
BSEE conducted an initial dockside pre-production inspection of King’s Quay in Ingleside, Texas, in September 2021, which was required before the platform could sail to its final mooring site. During the dockside inspection, inspectors verified that safety equipment, components, and production processes aboard the structure were constructed as planned, met industry standards, and complied with federal regulations.
Corrections to any discrepancies or items of concern were verified during this offshore inspection to ensure all safety and environmental systems are properly in place before King’s Quay can begin production. The facility can process 80,000 barrels of oil per day and 100 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The platform weighs 21,498 metric tons and was built by Hyundai Heavy Industries.
“This follow-up inspection is another example of the vital work that BSEE does to ensure that new oil and gas production facilities are safe and environmentally sound,” said BSEE Houma District Manager Amy Pellegrin.
BSEE Gulf of Mexico Region Interim Director Bryan Domangue recognized the inspection team and their inspection process. “We at BSEE are extremely proud to contribute to the ongoing pledge of environmentally safe energy production in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Domangue.
Having completed the follow-up initial offshore pre-production inspection, the King’s Quay FPS is on schedule to start regular production in mid-2022 and is expected to handle production from the Khaleesi, Mormont, and Samurai fields within the Green Canyon area.