Wison Begins Hull Erection for Sakarya Phase 3 FPU

Wison New Energies has started hull erection for the Sakarya Phase 3 FPU in Nantong. The 25-million-standard-cubic-metre-per-day unit is targeted to leave China by end-2027 and enter operation in mid-2028.

Wison New Energies held a keel-laying ceremony on 25 October for the floating production unit (FPU) it is building for Türkiye’s Sakarya Phase 3 gas development. With the hull now in dock at Wison’s Nantong yard, block erection has begun and construction is moving from individual sections to formation of the complete hull.

Wison signed the engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contract with Türkiye Petrolleri A.O. (TPAO) in 2025. The double-hull FPU is listed by Wison at 282 metres long and 54 metres wide. It is designed for operation in approximately 2,150 metres of water and has a 30-year design life. The unit will combine gas processing, compression and export functions, with a design export capacity of 25 million standard cubic metres per day.

Construction started in Nantong in February 2026 and fabrication of the topside modules began in May. Wison has previously scheduled hull float-out for April 2027, completion of the main module lifts for June 2027, and yard-side installation and commissioning by the end of that year. Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has said the unit is expected to leave China by the end of 2027 and enter operation in mid-2028.

Sakarya lies about 170 kilometres off Türkiye’s Black Sea coast and was discovered in 2020. TP-OTC is developing the field in three phases. Phase 1 achieved first gas in 2023. Phase 2 adds ten wells, a new subsea production system and the first FPU. Phase 3 calls for 27 additional wells, another subsea production system, a second FPU and a new export pipeline.

Once all three phases are complete, the field is targeted to reach net production capacity of about 40 million cubic metres per day. Phase 3 is expected to add around 20 million cubic metres per day. That field-level production increment is distinct from the new FPU’s 25-million-standard-cubic-metre-per-day design export capacity.

Subsea execution is advancing in parallel. In March 2026, Subsea7 received additional scope to connect the newly discovered Goktepe field to the Phase 3 FPU, including about 20 kilometres of flexible pipelines, 120 kilometres of umbilicals, a rigid production riser and associated subsea equipment. A further award in September covers FPU tow-out, mooring installation and connection work. Offshore activities are planned across 2027 and 2028.