FIRST SANTOS BASIN OFFSHORE CRUDE FLOW ON LINE

Petroleos Brasileiro SA has started up the first commercial production of oil from the Santos basin off Brazil's southern coast. Although drilling has occurred in the offshore portion of the Santos basin since 1970, only Merluza gas/condensate field currently is under development (OGJ, Jan. 14, p. 47). Petrobras started flow of 3,000 b/d of 42 gravity oil from Coral field's discovery well, BSS-56, on a platform in 150 m of water about 180 km off Parana state.

Nov. 25, 1991

2 min read

Petroleos Brasileiro SA has started up the first commercial production of oil from the Santos basin off Brazil's southern coast.

Although drilling has occurred in the offshore portion of the Santos basin since 1970, only Merluza gas/condensate field currently is under development (OGJ, Jan. 14, p. 47).

EARLY PRODUCTION

Petrobras started flow of 3,000 b/d of 42 gravity oil from Coral field's discovery well, BSS-56, on a platform in 150 m of water about 180 km off Parana state.

Data from well performance will help Petrobras determine an overall development scheme for the so called Tubarao pole, which includes Coral, Tubarao, and Estrela do Mar oil fields. Proved reserves for the three fields combined are 25.2 million bbl of oil and 140 bcf of gas.

Earlier, Petrobras estimated combined probable reserves for the three fields at 280 million bbl of oil and 530 bcf of gas. During test production phase, associated gas is flared at a rate of about 2.1 MMcfd.

PROJECT DETAILS

Petrobras moves the crude via tanker to Sao Francisco terminal on the coast of Santa Catarina state, then via pipeline for processing at the Araucaria refinery in Parana state.

Petrobras has hired the Diamond M Century semisubmersible rig for work in the Tubarao pole area near the Coral platform.

Plans call for production from a well in Estrela field to be tied into the platform in 1992. To date, Petrobras has spent $14 million on the project, including drilling the 1990 Coral discovery well.

During the test production period, lifting costs are pegged at $50,000/day.