Petrobras tendering for more presalt Brazil standardized FPSOs

Jan. 3, 2023
Petrobras has initiated the contracting process for two new FPSOs for the Atapu and Sépia shared reservoirs in the presalt Santos Basin offshore Brazil.

Offshore staff

RIO DE HANEIRO, BrazilPetrobras has initiated the contracting process for two new FPSOs for the Atapu and Sépia shared reservoirs in the presalt Santos Basin offshore Brazil.

The company expects to receive bids in July 2023 and to start production in 2028.

The new P-84 (Atapu) and P-85 (Sépia) platforms will each have a production capacity of 225,000 bbl/d of oil and gas processing capacity of 10 MMcm/d. Their standardized design will include Petrobras’ all-electric concept, which targets more efficient power generation, along with process plant optimizations for increased energy efficiency.

Other features are technologies for zero routine venting (recovery of vented gases from the cargo tanks and processing plant); use of variable speed drives for the pumps and compressors; co-generation (waste heat recovery); zero routine flaring (recovery of gases from the flare - closed flare); valves designed for fugitive emissions; and capture, use and subsurface storage of CO2 from the produced gas.

Following Brazil’s second round of bidding for the surplus volumes, Petrobras now has a 65.7% interest in the Atapu shared reservoir, the remainder split between Shell, TotalEnergies, Petrogal and state-owned Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. (PPSA).

For the Sépia shared reservoir, Petrobras’ operated stake is 55.3%, with partners TotalEnergies, Petronas, QatarEnergy and Petrogal. PPSA acts as manager of the production sharing contracts for both reservoirs.

In a separate development, Petrobras has signed an Integrated Natural Gas Processing System (SIP) contract with CNOOC Petroleum Brasil. This will allow CNOOC to send its share of gas from the Búzios Field in the Santos Basin through any of the SIE-BS export pipeline routes and to process the gas owned by Petrobras.

The SIE-BS comprises routes 1, 2 and 3 for production from the Santos Basin presalt cluster fields, while the SIP covers the connected processing plants onshore in Caraguatatuba, São Paulo, Cabiúnas and Itaboraí (under construction).

01.03.2023