Offshore staff

(Brazil)-Petrobras will increase production at its Golfinho light crude offshore field in May, when theCapixaba floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) is scheduled to start operations, the company said in a statement.

Capixaba will join the Seillean FPSO, currently on site and producing 21,000 b/d.

Capixaba will significantly increase production, with its capacity to produce 100,000 b/d and 3.5 MMcm/d of natural gas.

Petrobras leased the FPSO from Monaco-based shipbuilders SBM, who hired Singapore shipbuilders Keppel to convert the ship into an FPSO. TheCapixaba recently arrived in Brazil from Singapore and will undergo tests before being towed to the field.

Golfinho, in the Espírito Santo basin at water depths of 1,340 m, has estimated reserves of 450 MMbbl of 28-40° API crude. It was declared commercially feasible in January 2004.

In the second development stage, Petrobras will replaceSeillean with the 100,000 b/d Cidade de Vitória FPSO during the first half of 2007.

04/06/2006