FPSO Kaminho — Technical Profile

Vessel Overview

The FPSO Kaminho is being converted from the VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) Alsace — a 299,999 DWT tanker built in 2012 by Samsung Heavy Industries. The conversion contract was awarded by Saipem to China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI) at its Nantong, China facility. Engineering work commenced in mid-2024, with full conversion starting in early 2025. FPSO sail-away is planned for 2027, followed by offshore installation and hookup at the Block 20/11 location in the Kwanza Basin.

Upon completion, the FPSO Kaminho will be TotalEnergies' seventh FPSO operating in Angolan waters, joining the fleet that includes vessels serving Blocks 17 (Girassol, Dalia, CLOV, Pazflor), Block 32 (Kaombo North and South), and Block 0. See our Angola FPSO Fleet page for the complete fleet profile.

Technical Specifications

Production capacity: 70,000 barrels of oil per day (plateau rate).

Original vessel: VLCC Alsace, 299,999 DWT, built 2012, Samsung Heavy Industries (South Korea).

Conversion yard: China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI), Nantong, China.

Power generation: 80 MW system supplied by Siemens Energy — designed for high-performance, reliable power delivery for all onboard systems.

Propulsion/station-keeping: Spread mooring system with 12 vertical suction anchors (each 170 tonnes, 24 meters tall), fabricated at Saipem's Ambriz yard.

Design life: 20+ years with 12-year initial O&M contract (8-year extension option) managed by Saipem.

Water depth: 1,700 meters (deployment location in Block 20/11).

All-Electric, Zero-Flaring Design

The FPSO Kaminho represents a next-generation environmental design. Unlike conventional FPSOs that use gas turbines for power generation (producing significant CO2 emissions), Kaminho is fully electric. All associated gas from production is completely reinjected into the reservoirs — achieving zero routine flaring. This design delivers a carbon intensity of 16 kg CO2e per barrel of oil equivalent — significantly below the industry average for deepwater developments, which typically ranges from 20-30+ kg CO2e/boe.

Additionally, the facility is designed with potential for post-combustion carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which could prevent approximately 8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over the project's operational life. These features align with TotalEnergies' net-zero ambitions and Angola's commitments under the World Bank's Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 initiative. The breakeven is below $30 per barrel, demonstrating that low-emission design can coexist with competitive project economics.

Subsea Interface

The FPSO connects to the seafloor through a subsea production network including approximately 30 km of flowlines, flexible risers, and umbilicals (the SURF package contracted to Saipem). The SLB OneSubsea 13-well subsea production system provides the wellhead and tree interface. An 80-meter flowline protector for the FPSO is being fabricated at the Ambriz yard.

For the complete project overview, construction timeline, and production data, see our dedicated pages.