Canadian Oil and Gas Company Cenovus Energy Reaches Milestone in Offshore Newfoundland Project

Canadian oil and gas company Cenovus Energy has achieved a significant milestone in its offshore drilling platform project in Newfoundland, Canada. The company recently merged two large structures forming part of the platform at its White Rose field.

The topsides, totaling 23,000 tonnes, arrived at the White Rose field on July 16 after a journey that began on June 3 from Kiewit’s yard in Texas. The transportation was carried out by the Pioneering Spirit construction vessel, marking a crucial step in the project’s development.

Kiewit played a key role in fabricating, constructing, and integrating the topsides, which include various facilities such as a living quarters, flare boom, helideck, lifeboat stations, drilling substructures, and utilities. The successful placement of the platform on the concrete gravity structure was completed swiftly thanks to favorable weather conditions.

Project Progress and Future Plans

With the topsides in place, Cenovus will now focus on the final stages of the project, including hook-up, commissioning of the platform, and subsea tie-in work. The company remains on track for first oil production in Q2 2026, with peak output expected in 2028.

Earlier in June, the concrete base supporting the topside module arrived and was successfully installed in the field, setting the stage for further project developments.

Expansion of White Rose Field

Cenovus serves as the operator and majority owner of the White Rose field, situated 350 kilometers east of St. John’s, along with partners Suncor Energy and OilCo (formerly Nalcor Energy). The original field was developed using subsea technology, with three drill centers connected to the FPSO vessel, SeaRose.

The ongoing expansion of the White Rose field includes satellite extensions such as North Amethyst, West White Rose, and South White Rose. The fixed-wellhead platform will access reserves in the West White Rose field, estimated to contain nearly 115 million barrels of oil. A fixed drilling rig will be linked to the existing FPSO SeaRose for enhanced production capabilities.

Cenovus has projected that the expansion project will extend the production life of the White Rose field by approximately 14 years, demonstrating the company’s commitment to maximizing the field’s potential.

Overall, the successful merger of the drilling platform structures and progress in the White Rose field highlight Cenovus Energy’s dedication to advancing its offshore operations and contributing to Canada’s oil and gas sector.