FPSO RAROA

The newly converted floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) RAROA arrived in Wellington on 26 April 2008. The purpose of the visit is to complete some conversion work.. FPSO Raroa was converted from the 92,802 deadweight tonne tanker ANDAMAN SEA. Jurong Shipyard was commissioned by Tanker Pacific Offshore Terminals to carry out the conversion of the oil tanker, which is now capable of processing up to 40,000 b/d of oil and storing up to 646,548 barrels of oil. Conversion of the vessel first commenced in February 2007. It will be the largest tanker (or ex tanker) to visit Wellington.. When work is completed RAROA will move to the Maari oil field off Taranaki in May 2008. First oil from Maari is now scheduled for the third quarter of 2008. Initial oil production is expected to ramp up to 35,000 b/d of oil from five oil producers tied to the FPSO and an unmanned wellhead platform. The wellhead platform arrived in New Zealand 11 April 2008. FPSO RAROA sailed from Wellington on Sunday, was connected-up to the submerged-turret mooring system on the Maari offshore oilfield offshore Taranaki on Tuesday 13 May, with the assistance of TUAKINA, PACIFIC CHIEFTAIN and PACIFIC SENTINEL. This picture taken about 5 years later when RAROA disconnected from its mooring and returned under its own power to Singapore. At the time it was thought that the Maari field was nearly exhausted however some years later it is still producing and another FPSO is moored nearby.