Tag: Petrobras

The FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias has reached its peak production yesterday (May 19), hitting 180,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd). Located in Mero field, Santos Basin pre-salt, the unit sits 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in 2,000 meters of water depth. The ramp-up took just 201 days, a remarkable milestone for a project of this scale.

The vessel began operations in October 2023 and is the third unit of its size installed in Mero in the last 30 months. It will be connected to 15 wells, eight producers and seven injectors for water and gas, via a comprehensive subsea infrastructure. With this unit now fully operational, Mero’s production capacity surpasses 590,000 bopd, alongside the FPSOs Pioneiro de Libra, Guanabara, and Sepetiba.

According to Sylvia Anjos, Petrobras’ Director of Exploration and Production, this performance reflects the dedication of the company’s teams and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.

Starting in 2028, it will be the first FPSO in the world to deploy HISEP (High Pressure Separation), a groundbreaking technology that allows for subsea oil and gas separation. High-CO₂-content gas is re-injected into the reservoir directly from the seabed, significantly cutting emissions while optimizing oil production.

Mero is a unitized field operated by Petrobras (38.6%) in partnership with Shell Brasil (19.3%), TotalEnergies (19.3%), CNPC Brasil (9.65%), CNOOC (9.65%), and PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo S/A), which holds 3.5% as the government’s representative in the non-contracted area.

By Rafael Bortoloti

The Merchant Marine Fund (FMM), managed by the Ministry of Ports and Airports, has approved R$6.6 billion in investments for the state of Rio de Janeiro. The funding, announced last week, focuses on naval and port projects, particularly those supporting the oil and gas industry.

Among the 14 projects approved is the construction of four Handy-class vessels for transporting oil byproducts for Petrobras. This initiative, valued at R$1.5 billion, will be executed by a consortium involving the Rio Grande shipyard in Rio Grande do Sul and Mac Laren shipyard in Niterói. Additionally, the Green Port shipyard in Niterói received R$242.2 million to build a new floating dock, reinforcing its role in the industry’s ongoing revival.

The FMM plays a critical role in financing Brazil’s merchant marine and shipbuilding sectors, which have recently seen renewed momentum, with several shipyards reopening and new OSV bids emerging.

Is this a signal of a lasting recovery for the industry?

Petrobras Confirms New Oil Discovery in Santos Basin

Petrobras has confirmed the presence of high-quality, contaminant-free oil in well 3-BRSA-1396D-SP, located in the Aram block of the Santos Basin. The well, drilled at a water depth of 1,952 meters, revealing a promising oil-bearing interval through electric logs, gas evidence, and fluid sampling.

Laboratory analyses will follow to further assess the reservoir’s characteristics and production potential, a critical step in defining the commercial viability of the asset.

“The Aram block has been operated by Petrobras since 2020, with the Oil Company holding an 80% stake in partnership with CNPC, which owns the remaining 20%. This marks the second discovery in the block since March, further highlighting the Oil Company’s unmatched ability to lead new discoveries and projects in Brazil. Petrobras’ human and technical resources are truly remarkable.”, says Anidio Corrêa, R&D Environment Projects Lead.

Karoon Energy Acquires FPSO Cidade de Itajaí for $115 Million

Karoon Energy has finalized its $115 million acquisition of the FPSO Cidade de Itajaí from Altera & Ocyan. The deal, which also includes approximately $8 million in transaction costs, was initiated in February.

Operating in the Baúna Field in the Santos Basin since 2013, the FPSO has a production capacity of up to 80,000 barrels of oil per day (boed) and a gas compression capacity of 2 million cubic meters per day.

Karoon, which has owned the Baúna Field since 2020, now takes full control of both the field and its production vessel. The company plans to transfer operational management to a new operator by mid-2025. Until then, Altera & Ocyan will continue to oversee operations.

“Taking ownership of the Cidade de Itajaí FPSO marks a further significant milestone in Karoon’s evolution over the past five years, from an explorer to an operator of offshore oil and gas production assets,” said Julian Fowles, CEO and Managing Director of Karoon.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is underway in Houston, running from May 5 to 8, and is expected to attract over 30,000 professionals. High-profile figures like Magda Chambriard, CEO of Petrobras, and Sérgio Bacci, CEO of Transpetro – Petrobras Transporte S. A., are among the attendees, reinforcing the event’s significance as a global hub for the offshore energy sector.

Representing the Westhon Group, Alvaro Antunes, CEO of Intcom Solutions and partner at WSB Advisors, is attending this year’s edition. “It’s always great to be at OTC. The entire city embraces the conference, and there are several other side events happening at the same time. It’s an incredible opportunity to gain insights from all the major market players and share them with both WSB and Intcom,” Antunes shares.

Discussions at OTC and related events are focused on critical topics like energy transition, decarbonization, market integration, project financing, and technological innovation. With its vast reserves and growing production, Brazil plays a key role in this context, emerging as a strategic player in the global energy market.

Brazil’s Role in the Global Energy Transition

At a parallel event, the fourth edition of the “Business Roundtable” brought together around 200 representatives from shipyards, equipment manufacturers, engineering firms, and operators, exploring opportunities linked to Petrobras’ robust investment plans.

Petrobras CEO Magda Chambriard highlighted the significance of these initiatives, stating, “Strengthening the national shipbuilding industry is essential to ensuring operational safety, creating qualified jobs, and fostering regional development. Brazil has all the potential to become a competitive hub for offshore engineering and construction.”

Renata Baruzzi, Petrobras’ Director of Engineering, Technology, and Innovation, reinforced this perspective, adding, “The growth of Brazil’s shipbuilding industry is strategic for maintaining the competitiveness of our projects. We are committed to enhancing demand predictability, supporting local suppliers, and encouraging partnerships with foreign companies, always focusing on excellence, innovation, and social responsibility.”