December 12, 2019
The development of Buzios production in the Santos cluster will require the hiring of seven new FPSOs. The units will be able to produce at least 180,000 bpd – 30,000 bpd more than the platforms contracted for the project so far.
The development plan was unveiled to the press last Wednesday (11/12) by oil and gas director Carlos Alberto Oliveira. Named Buzios 6, the first of the new platforms will be operational in 2024 and bid in 2020.
There is still no decision on the contract model to be adopted, whether chartering, EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) or BOT (Build Operate Transfer).
Petrobras sources claim that Petrobras is likely to opt for the EPC regime, at least for Buzios 6. After hiring replicating FPSOs (P-66 to P-71) and the transfer of rights (P-74 to P-77 ), the oil company has been adopting the charter model in the contracts.
Buzios will be developed with a total of 12 FPSOs, which will make the project the largest production system in Brazil, with at least 2 million bopd of installed capacity. The development plan has yet to be detailed internally and then forwarded for approval by partners CNOOC, CNODC and PPSA.
The E&P area of the oil company did not yet vote on the pace of commissioning of the other six FPSOs. “We are evaluating if it will be one, two a year,” said Oliveira.
Located in the northern part of the Santos Basin, the Buzios field currently produces about 600,000 boed via four FPSOs (P-74, P-75, P-76 and P-77). The next (FPSO Guanabara) is under conversion by Modec, with first oil scheduled for 2022.
The P-74, P-75 and P-76 are already producing above the capacity of their plants. In January, Petrobras will connect a gas injector well to the P-77, which should make the unit reach its capacity in a short time.
The good performance of the Buzios reservoirs contributed to Petrobras achieving a new daily and monthly production record in November, with 3.2 million boed and 3.1 million boed, respectively.
Spot Maintenance
As of 2020, Petrobras will start the first maintenance campaigns on the Buzios platforms. The goal is to redouble the security of systems, which have been operating for less than five years.
Petrobras predicts that the 2020 national maintenance campaign will generate about 20-30 scheduled platform shutdowns. Most work will be performed in the first semester.
In addition to Buzios, FPSOs will be serviced at the Lula field, also located in the Santos Basin, and at Campos Basin units.
Despite the extensive maintenance campaign, Carlos Alberto Oliveira assures that the work will not affect the production target of 2.7 million boed by 2020. “This is already accounted for the goal of the year,” said the Executive.
Source: Petroleo Hoje
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