Offshore staff
(Brazil)- Brazil's federal energy company Petrobras has delayed tests for itsP-50 floating, production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) because of technical problems, according to a company spokesperson.
While tests were originally slated to start in mid-December, the new schedule is for theP-50 to start tests close to shore in Rio de Janeiro city by February 15. Following a successful test, the FPSO will be towed to the Albacora Leste field in the Campos basin 120 km from shore, the spokesperson said. No details were given as to the technical problems that led to the delay.
Brazilian-Singapore shipyard Maua-Jurong is building theP-50 in the town of Niteroi close to the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Petrobras will have invested $660 million in the FPSO upon its completion. The FPSO will have capacity to produce 180,000 b/d of oil and 6 MMcm/d of natural gas.
The Albacora Leste field is located at water depths of 800-1,200 m in the northern region of the Campos basin. Spanish oil company Repsol YPF owns 10% of the field.
Albacroa Leste's production is considered essential for the country to reach self-sufficiency in oil and for Petrobras to reach its 1.9 MMb/d of oil production in 2006.
02/01/2006
