Latin America Offshore Oil Field Development News

Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. has signed a $1.7-billion agreement to convert four VLCC vessels into hulls for platforms P-74, P-75, P-76, P-77, and for the transfer of rights areas.

McDermott International Inc. (NYSE: MDR) has won a brownfield contract to provide two new permanent living quarter modules for BG Trinidad & Tobago Ltd. (“BG”) as operator of North Coast Marine Area (“NCMA”) block.

Gaffney Cline Associates (GCA) has delivered a Competent Persons Report (CPR) to Rockhopper on the Sea Lion complex discoveries in the offshore North Falkland basin.

OGX Petróleo e Gás Participações S.A. (Bovespa: OGXP3; OTC: OGXPY.PK) has commissioned two further wellhead platforms (WHPs) 3 and 4, for field developments in the Campos basin.

SBM Offshore has contracted Blue Water Shipping to provide logistics for materials and equipment to yards in China and Brazil, where conversion of the FPSO Cidade de Ilhabela will take place over the next two years.

BG Group (BRGYY.PK:OCQX) has started a new well test program off Brazil in the BM-S-11 presalt Santos basin concession.

Petrobras has contracted Technip to supply risers and flowlines for the deepwater Guara and Lula Nordeste presalt field developments in the Santos basin.

Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (NYSE: PBR) has sent a Declaration of Commerciality for Tiro and Sidon fields in southern Santos basin offshore Brazil to the National Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels Agency.

Petrobras expects as much as $7 billion in bids to complete eight offshore platforms for use in the Santos basin, according to reports from Brazil.

Eni and Repsol have signed a gas sales agreement with PDVSA and the Minister of Petroleum and Mines of Venezuela to develop the Perla gas field. 

Rockhopper Exploration says it is one well away from completing appraisal of its Sea Lion field in the offshore North Falkland basin.

When operators seek to develop oil reserves in deepwater areas, they often have to address the issue of finding the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of disposing and ideally monetizing the associated natural gas.

Gazprom has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with PDVSA, which could lead to a joint venture to develop the Robalo gas field in the Gulf of Venezuela.

BPZ Energy has issued contracts for fabrication, mobilization, and installation of a second platform at the Corvina field in block Z-1 offshore Peru.

Petrobras has received three design proposals for a floating LNG terminal to handle some of the natural gas produced from ultra deepwater presalt fields.

Rockhopper is looking at some form of floating platform as the likeliest option to produce its Sea Lion oil and gas discovery offshore the Falkland Islands.

Statoil Brasil Óleo & Gàs has awarded Technip a three-year frame agreement for offshore engineering studies.

Production from the Jubilee oil field offshore Ghana has increased to over 70,000 b/d from five wells, says operator Tullow Oil.

Expansion of the Al Shaheen field continues offshore Qatar, according to operator Maersk Oil.

Petrobras as started an extended well test in the Brava area of the Campos basin presalt Marlin field production concession.

An extended well test of the Tracajá reservoir in Marlim Leste field offshore Brazil is under way, reports Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.

Success in the Perla 4 appraisal well in the Cardón IV block in the Gulf of Venezuela brings the Perla gas in place estimate to more than 16 tcf.

Located in an isolated, ultra-deep sector of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), Shell’s Perdido is the world’s deepest offshore oil drilling and production platform. Moored in 2,450 m (8,000 ft) of water in Alaminos Canyon block 857, the Perdido development opens up a new frontier in deepwater oil and gas production, and represents a number of firsts in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) has contracted Technip for engineering, procurement, and construction management at Mariscal Sucre Dragon/Patao offshore the northeast coast of Venezuela.