Petrobras-led Libra consortium to invest $28 million to support presalt operations
Petróleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) and its Libra consortium partners will invest R$151 million (about US$28.7 million) in a project aimed at developing new technologies and conceptual geological models to be applied in the Santos Basin presalt field Mero.
The Libra Rocks project establishes a partnership among the consortium and the University of Brasília (UnB), the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), the operator said.
“Libra Rocks has the potential to reduce uncertainties in the production curve, increase efficiency in reservoir management, optimize the location of new wells and improve knowledge about the timing of CO2 entry and oil load into the reservoir,” said Libra executive manager Bruno Moczydlower.
The 4-year initiative aims to study the origin, composition, structure, and transformation of carbonate rocks in the Libra area to understand the distribution of pores and permeability. Artificial intelligence will be used to develop algorithms to automate the processing of geological data and allow for the construction of detailed conceptual models. High-resolution images will be used to create 3D replicas of rock samples, expanding the capacity to characterize oil reservoir rocks, the company said.
Mero
Mero lies in Libra block about 180 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The reservoir, which lies 5,000-6,000 m below sea level in 1,800-2,000 m of water, is among the most studied in Brazil due to its productive potential and technological challenges. The rocks have high porosity and good permeability, characteristics that favor the storage and flow of oil.
Unitized Mero field operations are conducted by Petrobras-led consortium which includes Shell Brasil, TotalEnergies, CNPC, CNOOC, and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A (PPSA), as contract manager and representative of the Union in the non-contracted area.