Latin America Rigs/Vessels 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.

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.

Sete Brasil Participações S.A. has signed a letter of intent with Keppel Offshore & Marine Ltd. to design and build five semisubmersible drilling rigs for $4.12 billion.

Exploration drilling should resume in mid-year on the Guyane Maritime permit off French Guiana, according to Wessex Exploration.

SBM Offshore has contracted for a 20-year charter and operation of the FPSO Cidade de Ilhabela.

BG Group has initial approval from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) for up to $1.8 billion of long-term finance for the company’s interests in presalt Santos basin.

BG Group (BRGYY.PK:OCQX) says the first permanent FPSO on the Lula field in the Santos basin off Brazil has to date produced 15 MMboe in total from three wells, with a fourth due to be added in 2012.

Petrobras has detected a production string rupture at the FPWSO Dynamic Producer.

Cordiant Capital Inc. is supporting the construction of a deepwater drillship by the Schahin Group.

Seadrill Ltd and SapuraCrest Petroleum Bhd are considering an agreement whereby they would form a subsidiary company to build and charter pipelay support vessels to Petrobras.

Wärtsilä is to supply the design and propulsors/positioning system for two new flexible pipe laying vessels (PLVs) contracted for a long-term charter off Brazil for Petrobras.

Equinox Offshore Accommodation has contracted Sembawang Shipyard to convert a ropax vessel to a DP-2 accommodation and repair vessel.

DNV reports the Dockwise Vanguard heavy-lift vessel will be the first such semisubmersible vessel built under DNV's new class rules for this type of ship.

Deep Sea Metro has taken delivery of the drillship Deepsea Metro II from Hyundai Heavy Industries.

SBM Offshore says offshore works on both its newly delivered MOPU jackup platforms continues.

A Technip/Odebrecht Oil & Gas joint venture has a $1 billion letter of award from Petróleo Brasileiro SA for a five-year charter and operation of two identical flexible pipelay vessels.

Petrobras has awarded Subsea 7 SA a five-year contract to provide a dedicated deepwater flexible pipelay vessel for use offshore Brazil.

EMAS say that its Lewek EMAS FPSO has received first oil from the Chim Sáo project offshore Vietnam.

FPSO OSX-1, the first floating production, storage and offloading unit in OSX’s fleet, has arrived in Rio de Janeiro, successfully completing its journey from Singapore to Brazil.

Petrobras says it has received bid proposals for services and charter of 21 offshore drilling rigs to be built in Brazil.

SBM Offshore has delivered the semisubmersible drilling rig Delba III to Delba Drilling International Cooperative offshore Abu Dhabi.

Petrobras has signed a 15-year time charter with Excelerate Energy for a floating storage and regassification unit.

The supply of ultra deepwater rigs (up to 7,500 ft, or 2,286 m, water depth) continues to grow, according to Seadrill, with the number of newbuild orders placed since last October increasing to 37.