By an OGJ Online Correspondent
RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 16�Brazilian company Maritima Petroleo e Engenharia Ltda., which had contracts for the construction of semisubmersibles and drilling wells canceled by Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) is suing for $3 billion in Brazil and UK courts.
Petrobras said the contracts were canceled due to delay in the delivery of the contracted equipment.
Last year, the oil company canceled the contracts of the Amethyst 4 and 5 semisubmersibles, which are still being built, and the Amethyst 6 and 7, now Pride Brazil and Pride Carlos Walter. The Pride Carlos Walter was en route to Brazil by way of South Africa, while the Pride Brazil was scheduled to leave South Korea on Feb. 9 along the same route. The rigs are expected to complete acceptance testing and to be ready for work by June or July, officials said. (OGJ Online, Jan. 29, 2001).
Petrobras inked new contracts with the US company Pride International Inc. (a partner of Maritima in the Amethyst venture) to charter the Brazil and Carlos Walter.
Maritima just delivered other platforms P-38 and P-40, built in Singapore to operate in Campos basin, off Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil's most prolific oil basin. These platforms were being tested by Petrobras technicians and will be installed in Marlim Sul field in Campos basin. The P-40 has the capacity to produce 150,000 b/d of crude and the P-38 is a storage tankerl.
Brazilian company Maritima Petroleo e Engenharia Ltda., which had contracts for the construction of semisubmersibles and drilling wells canceled by Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) is suing for $3 billion in Brazil and UK courts.