Petrobras launches early production system from Buzios field

The startup of an early production system by Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) from Buzios field in the Santos basin represents the first large-scale and longest-running production operations from Brazil’s Transfer of Rights area.

OGJ editors

March 12, 2015

2 min read

Transfer of Rights is a contract with the Brazilian federal government authorizing Petrobras to carry out oil and gas exploration and production of up to 5 billion boe in certain Santos presalt areas with related payments to the government.

Buzios lies 200 km offshore Rio de Janeiro in 1,600-2,100 m of water. Petrobras reported its commerciality in December 2013.

Buzios will be produced using the Dynamic Producer floating production, storage, and offloading vessel, which is interconnected to well 2-ANP-1-RJS. Average production will be limited to 15,000 b/d of oil due to issues limiting gas utilization.

The early production system will enable Petrobras to produce for a 6-month period and gather information to enhance the field’s first permanent production system using platform P-74, currently in the final phase of conversion at the Inhauma shipyard in Rio de Janeiro.

The hull of Petrobras’ P-76 FPSO, meanwhile, has arrived at the Inhauma shipyard. Slated to operate in Buzios III field, the 332-m-long P-76 will be capable of producing 150,000 b/d of oil, storing 1.4 million bbl of oil, and compressing 7 million cu m/day of natural gas.

Construction work and installation will take place onsite alongside P-74 hull conversion.

Upon completion of P-76 hull conversion, scheduled for the third quarter, the FPSO will be transported to Pontal do Parana, where modules of an oil and gas processing plant will be assembled and installed.