Singapore-based Sembcorp Marine has secured an exclusive contract from floating production firm Altera Infrastructure, to carry out the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) work for an FPSO to be built for Santos' Dorado oil and project offshore Australia.

Dorado. located in the Bedout Sub-basin, offshore Western Australia,  is an oil and gas project which is expected to have an initial oil production of 75,000 to 100,000 barrels per day, with subsequent development of significant gas resources

The initial development involves the production of oil and condensate through a wellhead platform (WHP) and FPSO. Gas will be reinjected in the initial phase to enhance oil and condensate recovery, followed by a planned future phase of gas production to backfill Santos’ domestic gas infrastructure in WA.

Altera Infrastructure, previously known as Teekay Offshore, last month secured the FEED contract from Santos for the Dorado FPSO

Now, Altera has awarded the FEED work to Sembcorp Marine's Sembcorp Marine Rigs & Floaters unit.

Sembcorp Marine Head of Rigs & Floaters William Gu said: "We are excited to work with Altera Infrastructure and Santos to develop Dorado. The award of the FEED contract affirms Sembcorp Marine’s engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) capabilities, and reinforces our credentials as a leading engineering solutions provider for the offshore, marine and energy industries.”

The FEED work is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2022. This is the Group’s third EPC project in collaboration with Altera Infrastructure, following the successful delivery of FPSO Pioneiro de Libra and FPSO Petrojarl Cidade de Itajai in 2017 and 2012 respectively.

For the Dorado wellhead platform FEED, Santos last month selected Malaysia's Sapura Energy.

A Final Investment Decision for the Dorado development is targeted for mid-2022, with first production scheduled for 2026.

The Dorado project is in permit WA-437-P in Commonwealth waters, approximately 160 kilometers north of Port Hedland.