First Marlim Sul field module to get $1.2 billion investment

May 15, 2000
The first of four modules in Petroleo Brasiliero SA's Marlim Sul field, in the deepwater Campos basin off Brazil, is due on stream in the second half 2000.
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The first of four modules in Petroleo Brasiliero SA's Marlim Sul field, in the deepwater Campos basin off Brazil, is due on stream in the second half 2000.

First phase development, targeting 340 million bbl of oil in a portion of the field, will entail 30 wells connected to a floating production unit (FPU), which in turn will be linked to a floating storage and offloading (FSO) unit.

Petrobras plans to spend $400 million this year alone-and $1.2 billion by 2003-to develop this part of the field, not including the cost of leasing the FPU and FSO.

These units, dubbed FPU P-40 and FSO P-38, should be delivered by midyear from a South Korean shipyard. Braulio Bastos, development manager for the project, said Petrobras is negotiating contracts for the remainder of the equipment and services needed to develop the field. According to Bastos, "...Equipment purchases will not only generate material supply opportunities, but also financing."

Module 1 will require outlays of $330 million for drilling services, $140 million for wellhead equipment, $340 million for flowlines and umbilicals, and $40 million for subsea installation services.

Of the 30 wells, 17 will be producers and 13 water injectors. Production is expected to start up in 2003 and peak at a level of about 148,000 b/d of oil and 2.5 million cu m/day of natural gas.

Marlim Sul was discovered in 1987. Petrobras says that Marlim Sul, discovered in 1987, could hold oil reserves of up to 2 billion bbl.

First oil was produced in 1994 from a early production pilot well in 1,027 m water, for assessment of Module 1. This well is still operating and is linked to the P-26 production facility in adjoining supergiant Marlim field. The well currently produces nearly 8,000 b/d.

Other modules

Petrobras says the field's development project envisages a further three modules at greater depths.

The first two modules comprise Phase 1, which covers field portions to a water depth of 1,500 m. Phase 2 includes Module 3 and 4, in water depths exceeding 2,000 m.

Although the other three modules are still in a study phase, Petrobras believes the field could reach a production peak in 2008 of nearly 400,000 bo/d and 7.8 million cu m/day of gas.

In Module 2, a new pilot system is already on stream, producing from a well in 1,230-m of water, to be followed by tie-in a second well in 1,300-m water. Initial studies indicate that Module 2 will have 33 wells (18 production and 15 injection), all linked to an FPU platform connected to an FSO.

No pilot system has yet been planned for Module 3, but 21 wells are slated to be drilled (11 production and 10 injection), which will be connected to an FPU platform and an FSO.

Module 4 already has a well in 1,709 m of water. When it came on line in the pilot production phase in 1997, it established a world record water depth for completion and production of crude oil. Module 4 will have 26 wells, of which 13 will be production and 13 injection, linked only to an FPU platform connected to a gas pipeline and an oil pipeline.

Marlim Sul field crude gravity ranges from 17 degrees to 26 degrees API. The project calls for drilling 110 wells in all, 59 production and 51 injection.