Woodside’s Trion project, the first deepwater oil development in Mexico’s history, reached 50 per cent completion at year end, with the critical infrastructure that will power the project now taking shape around the world.
In shipyards in Korea and China, the two floating facilities are being built, thousands of kilometres from their final offshore destination in Mexico. Thousands of pieces of equipment and components are being assembled into massive steel blocks the size of buildings, before being lifted, integrated and tested.
VP Trion Stephane Drouaud recently visited key construction and fabrication sites to witness that progress firsthand.
“Seeing the commitment of our Woodside and contractor teams to deliver safely and to the highest quality standards was fantastic,” Stephane said.
“Achieving this level of completion would not have been possible without their expertise. I’m grateful to every team member driving Trion forward.”
At HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea, construction of the floating production unit (FPU) – named ‘Tlaloc’ after the Aztec rain god – is advancing at pace. Several major milestones have been achieved, including the successful float-out of the hull.
“It was great to witness our FPU hull floating outside the dry dock after so many years of engineering, and 14 months of constructing and assembling the blocks that form the hull,” he enthused.
A further highlight was the safe installation of the first of three major modules, each weighing close to 6,000 tonnes. This complex lift and mating operation required meticulous planning and close coordination across multiple teams.
“Completing this activity made the team extremely proud and relieved knowing that the technical and safety risks were carefully managed throughout the preparation and execution work,” he said.
During the visit, teams also recognised a significant safety achievement: three million working hours without a lost-time injury. Achieved during one of the busiest phases of construction, it reflects the strong safety focus across the teams on the ground.
Meanwhile, fabrication of the floating storage and offloading (FSO) vessel – named ‘Chalchi’ after the Aztec water deity Chalchiuhtlicue – and the Disconnectable Turret Mooring (DTM) system is underway at the COSCO yard in China. Once installed, Chalchi’s DTM will be moored in 2,300 metres of water. The FSO vessel is designed to store up to 950,000 barrels of crude oil and operate on station for its 27-year design life.
Further south, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, teams at the OneSubsea manufacturing facility celebrated the completion of the first Xmas tree in style. The intricate equipment, which comprises 49,000 components and controls the flow of hydrocarbons from subsea wells, was blessed in a vibrant ceremony, complete with a festive New Year lion dance.
Next up for the project is the drilling campaign, with the Deepwater Thalassa drillship scheduled to arrive in the field in early March to commence the 24 wells drilling and completion program.
Trion is a joint venture between Woodside Energy (60%, operator) and Mexican state-owned PEMEX (40%). The project is targeting first oil in 2028, helping to meet ongoing customer demand for reliable energy. It is also expected to deliver significant benefits to Mexico through jobs, taxation revenue and community investment.
“Looking ahead, we’re focused on maintaining this momentum as we continue delivering the world-class Trion project safely and successfully,” Stephane declared.
