March 4 (TN) Petrobras and the startup Wiise have partnered to develop innovative software based on artificial intelligence (AI) to support specialists in risk analysis of offshore wells.
With an investment of R$ 11.2 million in Research and Development (R&D), the project developed by Wiise goes beyond process automation, proposing the creation of a methodology to enable quantitative risk analysis in all Petrobras offshore wells, using a centralized database.
The three-year initiative seeks to expand the scale of analyses, maintaining quality standards and technical rigor, and allowing for more efficient maintenance planning, which contributes to increased efficiency and operational safety.
According to João Victor, an engineer at Wiise, “quantitative risk analyses are essential for the integrity management of offshore wells, where operational safety is a priority and decisions require a high level of planning. With the application of new AI technologies, routine tasks will be automated, allowing specialist engineers to focus their efforts on strategic issues. In this way, we promote greater efficiency and agility in processes, in addition to expanding the reach of quantitative analyses to a larger number of wells.”
Petrobras is the largest offshore well operator in Brazil, with a constantly expanding production park in deep and ultra-deep waters, especially in the pre-salt and Campos Basin areas. According to the company’s Strategic Plan, the drilling of approximately 100 new offshore wells is planned by 2030.
The impact of the software is especially relevant given the high costs involved in maintaining oil wells, particularly in the pre-salt area. “The initial cost of constructing a well can exceed US$100 million, and expenses for maintenance, rig rentals, and support vessels can surpass US$800,000 per day, with interventions lasting, on average, between 15 and 50 days, depending on the complexity,” explains Danilo Colombo, Reliability and Risk Analysis Consultant at Petrobras.
In addition to the management system, Wiise also develops other projects focused on creating digital twins, which allow for detailed evaluation of critical well equipment and processes. With the support of computational engineering, the decisions made can result in savings in rig days, process optimization, and the establishment of new safety standards.
Several critical well processes and equipment are represented by digital twins developed by the startup, including studies on damage to control lines, erosion in critical valves, and structural integrity of well elements, among others. These virtual models underpin high-impact decisions in situations of abnormal well conditions, helping to avoid operations in risky scenarios and increase the efficiency of interventions.
Software and digital twin solutions are complementary. While the software manages the entire asset in real time, digital twins allow for point-by-point evaluation of the impact of operational and design parameters that could compromise well integrity, whether during the design phase or even during production.
About WIISE – Wiise is a deep tech hub dedicated to developing advanced technological solutions for the oil and gas sector. With a highly qualified technical team, composed of masters and doctoral degree holders, the group’s startups work to identify complex problems in the sector and transform Research and Development (R&D) projects into market-applicable products, contributing to the strengthening of national technological development.
Brazil Energy Insight 
Leave a comment