The Western Libya Gas Project: Main Features and Milestones Of The Simultaneous Development Of The Wafa And Bahr Essalam Fields

The Western Libya Gas Project (WLGP) represents the most challenging integrated project presently being implemented in the Mediterranean Sea. Two gas fields, one located Onshore and one Offshore Libya, will be developed simultaneously and the produced gas and associated condensates will be processed in several treatment units, both Onshore and Offshore. The Sales Gas, which represents the main product of the project, will be delivered partially to the local Libyan market while the majority will be exported to Italy. The main features of the WLGP are state-of-the-art technologies, high safety level and highly integrated monitoring and control systems. All of the above applies to several plants (onshore and offshore) which are located as far as six hundred kilometres from each other. AGIP GAS BV Libyan Branch, has been entrusted with the implementation and the operation of the entire WLGP. The Basic Design/FEED, was awarded in 1999 and completed in early 2001 and several high ranking international Contractors have been awarded the six EPC/EPIC Contracts. This paper is intended to give a short description of the entire WLGP and its main components. The challenges of this project, including the overall management and control of a multibillion Euro project, the integrated planning, interfacing and commissioning, operation and maintenance, tight schedule, management of several main contractors, huge amount of involved resources and the impact on the Libyan environment are described as well. At the time of the preparation of this paper all project packages are in the execution phase.