Brazilian FPSO hits full production record

The floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO) Almirante Barroso, deployed at Petrobras’ deepwater oil field in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil, has reached full production in record time.

The FPSO, which operates in the Búzios field in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin, reached full production of 150 thousand barrels of oil per day (bpd)) on Tuesday, October 24, Petrobras reported.

According to the Brazilian giant, this output was achieved in record time as it has been 146 days or less than five months since Almirante Barroso began commercial production – on May 31.

“Thanks to the commitment of our technicians and use of new technology, we are continuing to see exceptional results from Búzios, with eleven high production units operating there, equipped with the most modern decarbonization technologies,” said Carlos Travassos, Petrobras’ Director of Engineering, Technology and Innovation.

The company noted that the project’s underwater system had reduced the average well interconnection time by 15% by incorporating a new solution for installing rigid pipelines, which has contributed directly to the record ramp-up time.

The platform has been chartered from Modec and is located 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, at a depth of 1,900 meters.

Petrobras is the field operator and has an 88.99% stake in the shared Búzios deposit, alongside its partners CNOOC (7.34%) and CNODC (3.67%).

Previous record holders include the FPSO P-76, in the Búzios field, which achieved full production in 234 days or less than eight months, and FPSO Guanabara, in the Mero field, which reached full production in 249 days or less than eight months – producing 180 thousand barrels per day.