Halliburton subsidiary KBR and Petrobras have achieved a significant milestone in the development of the Barracuda and Caratinga fields in the Campos basin offshore Brazil. The first of the two oil tankers converted into FPSOs began its journey Wednesday, Oct. 13.
The Barracuda FPSO,P-43, left the quay at the Maua-Jurong shipyard in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro State, for sea trials and final inspections before sailing to the deepwater oil and gas field 160 km east of Macae, northeast of Rio de Janeiro. Upon arrival at its installation site in the Campos basin, the P-43 will be moored, and hook-up and offshore commissioning will begin. First oil is expected in early November.
The Barracuda-Caratinga project includes the sister field development Caratinga. The Caratinga FPSO,P-48, is being converted in the BrasFELS shipyard in Angra dos Reis, Brazil, and is one of the first FPSOs to be built solely in Brazil. It is scheduled to sail to its installation site in the Campos basin in December and to begin oil production in January 2005.
Together, the Barracuda and Caratinga fields cover an area of 493 sq km in the Campos basin, in 800 and 1,035 m of water respectively. The fields will produce close to 300,000 b/d, approximately 20% of the current output from this offshore region. Each vessel will also be able to store 2 MMbbl of oil.
"We are proud to be part of this landmark project in South America, which represents one of the largest offshore engineering, procurement, installation, and construction projects ever undertaken by a single contractor," Andy Lane, president and CEO of KBR, Halliburton's engineering and construction group, says.
10/14/04
