Solstad Offshore ASA confirmed today (November 26) that it has signed a firm 4-year agreement with Petrobras for AHTS Normand Topazio. Contract starts in Q1 2026 and is valued at roughly USD 73 million. The vessel will support Petrobras offshore logistics and anchor-handling activities, reinforcing Solstad’s long-standing presence in Brazil’s supply fleet.
Tag: WSB
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Open tenders
Dear All,
WSB is pleased to provide an update on the current long-term tenders that are open to offer.
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Coming soon: One.Energy magazine
One Energy Magazine — Final 2025 Edition: What’s Inside
Coming soon!
In the upcoming and final 2025 edition of One Energy magazine, you’ll find an exclusive interview with Ronaldo Lima, Senior Advisor at WSB Advisors. Drawing on nearly 45 years in the energy sector, he discusses sensitive points in maritime regulation and shares his perspective on Brazil’s energy transition.
This edition also brings:
• Westhon’ new headquarters — meet the Westhon House
• The redesigned WSB Advisors database, WSB-One.com
• WSB Advisors’ strategic partnership with Unifeso
• A comprehensive analysis of the Rio–Niterói ferries
• Insights into Starnav’s growth
• Perspectives from Fernando Vilela on digital marketing markets
• Market updates — and more
A must-read. -
Petrobras reports high quality oil indication in Campos Basin
Petrobras announced the discovery of high-quality oil in a post-salt exploratory well in the Sudoeste de Tartaruga Verde block, Campos Basin, about 108 km off Campos dos Goytacazes (RJ). Well 4-BRSA-1403D-RJS was drilled in water depth of around 734 meters and initial logging, gas indication and fluid sampling confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons.
Petrobras states that reservoir samples will be sent to laboratories for detailed analysis, including fluid characterization and reservoir quality tests, which will support future estimates of productive potential.
Sudoeste de Tartaruga Verde was awarded to Petrobras in September 2018 during Brazil’s 5th Production-Sharing Round, with Petrobras holding 100% operating interest and PPSA acting as contract manager.
Even with strong pre-salt growth, Campos remains a strategic region for upcoming investments, especially where post-salt plays with simpler geology offer shorter cycle times and potential cost reductions. -
Organization announcement
Westhon Media welcomes journalist Rafael Bortoloti as Media Relations professional
Westhon Media — the communication and content arm of the Westhon Group — announces that journalist Rafael Bortoloti will serve as Media Relations, further enhancing the group’s corporate communication and press engagement initiatives.
An independent journalist and long-time collaborator of WSB Advisors, Rafael has since 2023 contributed to One Energy magazine with interviews and features that bring a thoughtful and human perspective to the offshore and energy industries. In this new capacity, he will also coordinate the magazine’s editorial agenda — consolidating articles, selecting topics, and engaging with columnists to ensure consistent, high-quality content.
“Taking on the Media Relations role within Westhon Media is both a continuation and an evolution of a partnership that has always been based on mutual trust and professionalism. It reflects the group’s growing commitment to communication excellence and reinforces the bridge between journalism and the energy sector.”
— Rafael Bortoloti
Westhon Media celebrates this new phase of collaboration, confident that Rafael’s journalistic insight and editorial dedication will continue to strengthen the group’s visibility and communication in the energy and offshore markets. -
Special WSB: “Por onde anda?”
From a detained support vessel to an active OSRV under Petrobras’ umbrella, former Astro Tupi illustrates the recurring reshaping of Brazil’s offshore fleet. Astro Tupi (IMO 9630705) was hired as named by Petrobras under Opportunity 7004235990, with Galáxia Navegação Ltda. as the contracting party and contract end-date set for August 2029. Galaxia still operates the vessel having recently promoted the vessel performance in social media. Despite this, public ANTAQ records never showed the vessel listed in Galáxia’s fleet.
Tribunal Marítimo, in its October publication, confirms the vessel’s name change from Astro Tupi to Atlas Z, now under the disponent ownership of Lagoa Offshore, a subsidiary of Brazilian Maritime Holdings (Majuro), part of MCT Inc..
The Greek owner stated to WSB Advisors having made a multimillion-dollar investment in the unit. ANTAQ public records now confirm a charter agreement between Astromarítima and Lagoa Offshore, with the latter appearing as the EBN and operator of Atlas Z, which supports the interim authorization issued by the authority to Lagoa as EBN.
WSB Advisors. No detail too small. Stay informed with WSB-One. -
Constellation starts operations of jack-up ADMarine 511 for Petrobras P&A campaign
Constellation Oil Services has started operations of the jack-up rig ADMarine 511, under contract with Petrobras for a plug & abandonment (P&A) campaign in Sergipe, Alagoas, Ceará and Potiguar basins. Announced on March 31, 2025, the US$ 170 million contract covers the rig’s mobilization from Bahrain and a firm term of 1,143 days, with extension options. The three-leg cantilever unit, model MSC CJ46-X100D, underwent inspections and upgrades in Brazil to meet local regulatory requirements before commencing operations.
The campaign focuses on well P&A activities linked to fixed structures in shallow waters — a segment expanding in Brazil as decommissioning programs progress. ADMarine 511, capable of operating up to 375 feet (114 meters) deep, completed classification surveys and technical modifications at Estaleiro Atlântico Sul before deployment. Constellation highlighted the project’s contribution to local employment and compliance with Brazilian safety standards.
The contract reinforces the participation of international operators in Brazil’s P&A segment and signals Petrobras’s intention to accelerate decommissioning activities in shallow-water areas. For suppliers and local yards, the campaign opens demand opportunities for mobilization, inspection, and compliance services.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
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FPSO P-79 departs South Korea bound for Brazil; startup expected in 2026
Petrobras FPSO P-79 departed from Hanwha Ocean shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, on November 11, 2025, heading to Búzios field (Santos Basin), where it will operate as “Búzios-8” unit. Designed to produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day and process 7.2 million m³/day of associated gas, the unit is expected to begin operations in early 2026. Petrobras also obtained environmental licenses authorizing an additional 20,000 bpd production capacity at Búzios.
P-79 mobilization marks another milestone in Petrobras’s large-scale expansion of pre-salt production capacity in Santos Basin, where multiple FPSOs are under construction or commissioning. The voyage will be carried out with crew on board to speed up the integration and commissioning schedule, once the unit arrives in Brazil.
The FPSO’s arrival and commissioning phases will define the startup timeline for Búzios-8. Industry forecasts to further consolidate Búzios as one of the world’s largest deepwater oil-producing fields.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
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MODEC awards TMC Compressors contract for FPSO Gato do Mato air system
MODEC has awarded TMC Compressors a contract to supply a large-capacity marine compressed air system for FPSO Gato do Mato, which will operate offshore Brazil in approximately 2,000 meters of water depth. The award, announced this week, covers a system designed for high reliability and low maintenance requirements to support continuous offshore operations. FPSO Gato do Mato is expected to produce around 120,000 barrels of oil per day and is being developed by Shell (50%), Ecopetrol (30%), and TotalEnergies (20%).
Marine compressed air systems are essential for instrumentation, control, and safety tools onboard. In ultra-deepwater operations, reliability and ease of maintenance are critical to reduce downtime and logistical costs. TMC emphasized its track record of supplying similar systems for MODEC’s FPSO fleet.
The award strengthens the supply chain for Gato do Mato FPSO project, which remains in the equipment procurement and topside integration phase. Delivery, testing, and integration milestones will be the key for unit’s commissioning schedule.Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
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Porto Sudeste handles VLCC VL Prime, the largest vessel ever operated at the terminal
Porto Sudeste, a port located in Itaguaí (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), reached a logistics milestone on November 5, 2025, by handling VL Prime, a VLCC with capacity of about 2 million barrels (~320,000 tonnes), marking the largest vessel ever operated at the terminal. VL Prime arrived in ballast from Luoyang County, China, and was loaded with 1 million barrels of Mero crude via ship-to-ship (STS) transfer from M/T Eagle Campos, and then proceeded to Port of Santos for additional loading before topping up at Porto do Açu alongside another Suezmax tanker en route to Rotterdam.
Operating a VLCC reinforces the port’s capacity to handle large-scale crude shipments, reducing transport costs and improving logistical efficiency for Brazil’s pre-salt exports. STS operation and sequential port calls (Santos and Açu) highlight growing coordination between terminals and shipping operators to optimize export logistics to European markets.
Such large-scale operations demand strict adherence to safety and environmental protocols, as well as close coordination with maritime authorities and insurers. The milestone underscores Brazil’s expanding capability to accommodate VLCCs and enhance competitiveness in the global crude export chain.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
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New legislation boosts Brazil’s shipbuilding and offshore industries
Law 15.075/2024 and Decree 12.362/2025 create a favorable environment for investment, job generation and the strengthening of Brazil’s maritime industrial base.
Rio de Janeiro, November 2025 — The recent enactment of Law 15.075/2024 and the publication of Decree 12.362/2025 mark a new chapter for Brazil’s shipbuilding and offshore sectors. Together, they introduce mechanisms to stimulate local production, expand fiscal incentives and enhance regulatory predictability — factors regarded as essential to rebuilding industrial capacity, restoring shipyard activity and reinforcing the national supply chain.
Law 15.075/2024 amends provisions of the Petroleum Law (9.478/1997) and defines new parameters for valuing local content in oil and gas projects. Among its key innovations is the transferability of local-content surpluses between contracts, effectively creating a market for “local-content credits.” The law also extends tax incentives for vessels built in Brazilian shipyards, including accelerated depreciation for ships operating in cabotage and offshore support, aimed at enhancing competitiveness and stimulating new construction orders.
Decree 12.362/2025 complements the law by allowing royalty reductions of up to 5 percent in Round Zero contracts, provided that operators reinvest in initiatives tied to local content. The measure is designed to encourage revitalization of mature fields, foster reinvestment in domestic production chains, and attract new suppliers to the sector.
According to Paulo Rolim, Advisory Services Lead at WSB Advisors, while the new framework creates short-term opportunities for shipyards and suppliers, its most impactful mechanisms remain temporary. “Accelerated depreciation, for example, is not a permanent State policy for shipbuilding but rather a transitional measure applicable only to contracts signed until the end of 2026,” he notes. Rolim adds that the long-term resilience of Brazil’s shipbuilding sector will depend on consistent legal instruments such as the Cabotage Law (9.432/1997) and the frameworks governing AFRMM and FMM, both regarded as true State policies that underpin industrial continuity.
Despite these limitations, the combination of Law 15.075/2024 and Decree 12.362/2025 demonstrates Brazil’s renewed commitment to strengthening its domestic production and technological base, while improving the overall attractiveness of offshore and maritime investment. The initiative signals progress toward a more balanced environment — one that values national content without compromising global competitiveness and efficiency.
This regulatory advance also aligns with broader trends in global energy transition, where nations seek to consolidate local shipbuilding capabilities as part of industrial policy and energy security strategies. Including Brazil in this conversation positions the country as a potential regional hub for offshore infrastructure and support vessel construction.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
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Transpetro Bid
Transpetro – Petrobras Transporte S. A. Launches Third International Tender for Fleet Renewal
Transpetro has opened the third international tender under Petrobras’ Fleet Renewal and Expansion Program, advancing the company’s 2025–2029 Business Plan. The new bid covers the construction of four MR1 tankers, each with a 40,000 DWT capacity, to transport oil and derivatives along the Brazilian coast.
Shipyards have 90 days to submit proposals and the first vessel is expected to be delivered within 33 months after contract signing. According to Transpetro, the vessels will incorporate advanced technologies to enhance energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This round follows previous tenders for 18 barges and 18 pushers, as well as four LR1 tankers, reinforcing Petrobras’ long-term logistics strategy and the revival of Brazil’s shipbuilding industry.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.