Tag: offshore

Last week, MODEC informed that FPSO Almirante Barroso MV32 started operations at
Búzios field, pre-salt region of Santos Basin. The unit comprises the fifth production module
of Búzios joining P-74, P-75, P-76 and P-77 which were already in production. Petrobras
development plan for Búzios field foresees a total of 12 production units installed. According
to Petrobras planning, the next unit targeted to start production at Buzios is FPSO Almirante
Tamandaré, in 2024.

Peregrino field, in Campos Basin, reached a production of 110 thousand barrels of oil per
day. This number represents the maximum processing capacity of the FPSO Peregrino.
After an extensive maintenance program, upgrades and repairs to the FPSO and
installation of a new fixed platform, Peregrino C, in October 2022 Phase 2 of the field produced
its first oil. The second phase extended the field’s life through 2040 and will add 250 to 300
million barrels of oil to the field while halving CO2 emissions per barrel over the remaining
life of the asset.

TotalEnergies, the French major, and the government of Rio de Janeiro signed a
memorandum of understanding (MoU), which aims to collaborate with the development of
the offshore wind generation industry in the Brazilian state. It is worth reminding that the
two parties have already stated their interest in participating in the first offshore wind energy
tender in Brazil due next year. The agreement covers two years and studies will be carried
out on tax incentives as well as the expansion of the grid system for future projects.

As previously mentioned in our weekly market update, MODEC has signed a contract with
Equinor to build the FPSO that will operate at BM-C-33 block, also known as Bacalhau field,
in the Campos Basin. The new unit to be built by MODEC will bring several innovations, some of
them related to carbon emissions such as the adoption of combined cycle gas turbines. With
such technology, the average CO2 intensity of the BM-C-33 over the life of the field will be
less than 6 kg per barrel of oil equivalent, while the global industry average is 16 kg. The BMC-33 project will also be the first in the country to process offshore gas and deliver it directly
to the national grid without the need of onshore processing.

Posidonia Shipping, a shipping Company (EBN) with activities in both offshore support and cabotage segments in Brazil, has concluded the acquisition of two Brazilian flagged PSVs. The vessels were under construction at EISA shipyard but were never finished due to financial struggles from previous owners and the yard itself. Posidonia expects the reactivation of the vessels to take around 15 months to complete with a grand total of USD 70 million worth in investments. 

Posidonia already has two other offshore support vessels operating in Brazil in partnership with German-owner UOS, the AHTS GH Navigator and AHTS GH Pathfinder. The Navigator has recently concluded a long-term charter with Karoon whilst the Pathfinder is still operating with Petrobras’s Cargo Transfer Vessel (CTV).

Enauta announced that it has found a new oil blend with “excellent petrophysical properties”
in the Atlanta field, in the Santos Basin. The Brazilian independent estimates the volume
at about 230 million barrels. The Brazilian company’s discovery is in the field’s Definitive
Production System deployment area which should start operating in 2024, with initial
production of 50.000 barrels of oil per day in Phase 1.

The new discovery is in well 9 -SHEL-19D-RJS drilled in 2006. This was programmed
with the objective of collecting information in conjunction with the drilling of well 7-ATL-7HA-RJS (“7HA”) which is part of a cloister of six wells under Phase 1 of the Atlanta Definitive System.

AHTS AH Valletta from owners CBO was chartered by Total Energies for 30 days firm
to replace Siem Atlas while docking. Vessel is expected to be available by June 15th and
currently sailing under Brazilian special register (REB) and has a 222 t bollard pull capacity

Petrobras informed that it will file a request with IBAMA, Brazil’s environmental protection
agency, to reconsider the decision to deny the company a license to explore an exploratory
well in block FZA-M-059, located at the Amazon River delta, in the state of Amapá.
Last week, IBAMA rejected Petrobras’ application, alleging a series of “technical inconsistencies”. The company however, claims that it meets all the requirements set forth in Brazilian legislation including the
technical requirements demanded by IBAMA itself. However, Petrobras stated that the
revised request will have the addition of new commitments, with an eye on the preservation
of the local environment as well as developing projects for the communities.

Petrobras released this week yet another PSV tender to the market, this time seeking to charter up to 9 vessels with various specifications. This opportunity is most likely a “second round” of the tendering process from last year that was expected to hire up to 20 vessels but, due to the lack of offers and incompatibility of windows, ended up with just 11 vessels awarded. Realistically speaking, Petrobras now wishes to fulfil their demands by chartering the additional tonnage required through this process, which has identical specifications, contract terms and duration as the previous one. However, the very same question from last year still  begs: Will there be enough vessels available to match Petrobras’ needs? Let’s see…