Petrobras assembling ultra-high capacity supercomputer

Dec. 22, 2020
Petrobras has started to receive the equipment for a new supercomputer named Dragon, designed to deliver improved geophysical processing performance.

Offshore staff

RIO DE JANEIROPetrobras has started to receive the equipment for a new supercomputer named Dragon, designed to deliver improved geophysical processing performance, thereby lessening geological and operational E&P risks.

Over the past two years the company has started operating nine other supercomputers, the two largest being Atlas and Fenix, which can also process geophysical data. But Dragon’s processing capacity will be greater than that of Atlas and Fenix combined.

It has 100 terabytes of RAM (Random Access Memory), a network of 100 gigabits/sec, and millions of mathematical processors: it should satisfy most of Petrobras’ geophysical data processing needs as well as those arising from programs such as EXP100 (targeting 100% success in exploration projects) and PROD1000 (start production within 1,000 days of a discovery).

In addition, Dragon will employ algorithms developed by the company’s geophysicists and systems analysts, leading to subsurface images with higher resolution for oil and gas exploration and production optimization, as well as faster processing times.

Ten trucks were needed to bring all the components in, and the assembly process could take up to three months. However, operation with full production should start during the second half of 2021.

12/22/2020