Petrobras Reduces Campos Deepwater Costs
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Operational costs for production in Campos deep waters have been reduced by US$ 2.75/bbl, according to Petrobras E&P Executive General Manager, Luiz Eduardo G. Carneiro. Speaking recently at the Deep Offshore Technology Conference, Carneiro said cost reduction is a continuous exercise practiced daily in every field brought onstream by Petrobras and added that the overall Campos OPEX for both deep and shallow waters has been reduced by US$ 4.06/bbl. He also announced a four-year, US$ 8 billion (B) deepwater development program consisting of 15 FPSs: 7 FPSOs, 3 semis, 3 TLPs or Spars and 2 FSOs. Average CAPEX is around US$ 6/bbl and the production/processing capacity of the new units will surpass 1.1 million (M) bpd for oil and 36 million (M) m3 of gas/day.
Maximum water depth of those units will be 1,853 meters, a new record to be set in Roncador, where some of the producing wells will approach 2,000 meters. Around 130 new production wells, and 70 injectors, will serve the units and the new systems will boost Brazil's present oil production from slightly more than 1 million bbl/d (46% from deep and ultra deep waters), to 1.5 million bbl/d in the year 2000 (60% from deep waters) and to 2 million bbl/d in 2004 (80% deep waters).
Twenty-one years after coming onstream, the Campos Basin production system is comprised of 14 fixed platforms, 20 floaters, and 3,600 km of pipelines. A total of 36 oil fields are now pumping 825,000 bbl/d and accounting for 75% of Brazil's domestic oil production.
Of the total Petrobras domestic reserves of oil and gas equivalent of 16.9 billion boe, onshore represents 13%, shallow waters—less than 400 meters—:14%, deep waters—400 to 1,000 meters—28%, and reserves located in depths over 1,000 meters (ultra-deep) represent 45%. Thus total BOE reserves in deep and ultra-deep waters amount to 73%.
New offshore records at roncador (back to top)
Carneiro also announced at the DOT98 that Petrobras plans to bring its new giant deepwater oilfield discovery Roncador onstream this month. At a water depth of 1,853 meters (6,079 ft), the field is a fast track development project, aimed at speeding up the start of production to two years and 2 months after discovery. The world's first DP FPSO, the Seillean, will be host unit for an early production system, with the capacity for producing 20,000 bbl/d oil from two wells. It will operate for about a year and then be absorbed by the first Roncador Permanent Production System.
Carneiro said the project will not only be the deepest well in the world, at 1,853 meters water depth, but will set several other offshore records and introduce numrous technological innovations, including:
- Floating Unit producing in deepest waters, 1,853 meters
- The only FPSO in the world with dynamic positioning capability
- A unique Drill Pipe Riser that has been converted into a Completion and Production Riser for water depths down to 2,000 meters
- A custom-made subsea tree designed for depths down to 2,000 meters
- Vessel upgraded to allow running and retrieving this tree
- Only eight months from Unit chartering to first oil.
Additional contributions to the oil industry: (back to top)
- Development of valves, hydraulic actuators, and sealing devices for 2,000 meters
- Compact tree design to allow installation by the FPSO itself
- Flowline adapter base which allows quick piggyback to a second satellite well thus minimizing production losses
- Designed for continuous long-term operation under the fatigue loads generated by Roncador harsh current conditions
- Equipped with a multiplexed electrohydraulic control system incorporating several safety features to improve system reliability.
Carneiro said that, "Due to the opening of the oil sector in Brazil, Petrobras is expanding its E&P activities abroad and is ready to share its experience with others in joint field developments."
By Dev George