Petrobras to study use of smaller platforms in the pre-salt to cut costs

Seeking to reduce costs, while maintaining the high productivity of the pre-salt wells, Petrobras is studying the use of smaller platforms for oil production in the area.

According to the director of Exploration and Production of Petrobras, Solange Guedes, some pre-salt wells are achieving daily production of up to 50,000 barrels, an amount which allows the use of smaller production units. Reduced-size platforms require less equipment and produce with only one connected well.  Larger units require several producers and water injection wells and greater amount of embedded technology.

Drilling ship Libra Pioneer, which should come into operation in the first half of next year, will be the first test of the new strategy. The unit will make long-term tests in Libra through only one well, with capacity of 50 million barrels per day.