Situated 25 miles (40 kilometers) off the north coast of Trinidad in roughly 500 feet (152 meters) of water is the North Coast Marine Area consisting of six gas fields: Hibiscus, Poinsettia, Chaconia, Ixora, Heliconia and Bougainvillea.

NCMA is a four-phased development project designed to supply LNG to markets in the United States, Spain and the Dominican Republic. In April 2000, a Unitization Agreement was formed and signed to develop NCMA and in December 2000, the government of Trinidad and Tobago gave approval for the development of the first three fields, Hibiscus, Poinsettia and Chaconia. The three fields contain proven and probable reserves in the amount of 2.4 Tcf. All six fields will supply gas to the Atlantic LNG Trains 2, 3 and 4, which is a facility located onshore in Port Fortin, southwest Trinidad.

BG Group serves as the operator of the project and holds a 45.88% interest; Petrotin holds 19.50% interest; Eni holds 17.31% interest; and PetroCanada holds the remaining 17.31% interest.

Field Development

In 2001, the first phase of development focused on the installation of the Hibiscus platform and the installation of the 66-mile (107-kilometer), 24-inch-diameter pipeline from the platform to the Atlantic LNG facility. Then, seven wells were drilled on Hibiscus and the adjacent Chaconia field and tied-back to the platform.

The Hibiscus platform, moored in 500 feet (152 meters) of water, is a 6-legged structure with 12 drilling slots and a production capacity of 400 MMcf/d (11 MMcm/d). In March 2000, J. Ray McDermott received the procurement, detailed engineering and fabrication contract for the platform. The work was completed in August 2001 and hook-up and commissioning occurred shortly after.

Two years later, Hibiscus commenced production and the field produces roughly 400 MMcf/d (11 MMcm/d). The field was a fast-track gas development with the first completion installed 16 months after project sanction.

Phase 2 of development consisted of drilling an additional 2 wells on the Ixora and Chaconia fields and adding them to the area's production. Phase 3 focused on developing the Poinsettia, Bougainvillea and Heliconia fields, installing a production platform on Poinsettia and upgrading the Hibiscus facility to accommodate production from the newly developed fields.

The Poinsettia field, situated in 530 feet (162 meters) of water, consists of one well tied-back to the largest offshore facility ever built and installed in Trinidad and Tobago. The Poinsettia platform, capable of producing 350 MMcf/d (9 MMcm/d), sends production via a 20-inch-diameter pipeline to the Hibiscus platform, which is then transported to shore.

In June 2007, an engineering, procurement, construction and installation contract was awarded to a consortium between J. Ray McDermott and Fluor Daniel South America Limited. J. Ray McDermott designed and fabricated the 9,100-ton (8,255-tonnes), 4-leg, 12-skirt jacket for Poinsettia's fixed platform. Along with the jacket and piles, the company also transported and installed the platform's topsides. Fluor performed overall project management, fabricated the 4,267-ton (3,871-tonnes) topsides, and executed the final platform commissioning through to mechanical completion.

Poinsettia commenced production on Jan. 14, 2009, and has substantially increased production at the Atlanta LNG facility.

Phase 4 will consist of installing compression facilities on the Hibiscus platform, which is scheduled to begin in 2010.