Vallourec hired for Shell’s deepwater project in Brazil

October 31, 2025, by Nadja Skopljak

French provider of tubular solutions Vallourec has secured a contract with TechnipFMC for the supply of line pipes for a deepwater development offshore Brazil operated by Shell.

The integrated contract covers over 20,000 tons of subsea seamless premium carbon-steel line pipes, intended for risers and flowlines, as well as anti-corrosive and thermal insulated coating services for the Orca project, formerly known as Gato do Mato, located in the Santos Basin and operated by Shell Brasil.

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“The Orca project is a perfect illustration of Vallourec’s ability to address the most complex technical challenges of offshore environments. This contract, which includes thermal insulation, is a first since the acquisition of Thermotite do Brasil, demonstrating the value of an integrated offering for our local customers,” said Philippe Guillemot, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of the Vallourec Group.

“With full local production and a sustained investment strategy in recent years, it strengthens our presence in Brazil, a strategic market for our activities, and reflects our partners’ trust in our industrial expertise.”

Gato do Mato, now Orca, is a pre-salt gas-condensate discovery that spans two contiguous blocks: BM-S-54, a concession contract entered into by Shell in 2005, and Sul de Gato do Mato, a production sharing agreement obtained in 2017.

TechnipFMC announced in March that it had won an integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (iEPCI) contract with Shell for the project, worth over $1 billion.

Designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day (boepd), the project is expected to start production in 2029.