Bureau Veritas Classes Brazil’s Largest Floating Production Unit

Petrobras’ P-55 Floating Production Unit (FPU), the largest and the first of this kind entirely built in Brazil, is on its way to the Roncador Field, Campos Basin, where it will be installed in a water depth of 1,790 metres.

The column stabilized semi-submersible has a capacity of 180,000 bopd and 6,000,000 cu m of gas. The unit is classed by Bureau Veritas. BV group companies also provided a wide range of verification and support services which made the major project possible.

Philippe Donche-Gay, Executive Vice-President and head of Bureau Veritas’ Marine and Offshore division says, “We are immensely proud to see this major offshore production unit on its way to its deepwater site. It is a real demonstration of the capacity of Bureau Veritas to help offshore operators to develop safe and effective offshore capacity. We have very large and technically skilled teams in Brazil who have been working closely with Petrobras for the last six years to deliver this project. The range of services we have contributed brings together our skills and experience with marine floating units, risk and safety of energy plants and equipment and our ability to manage major multi-site complex projects.”

BV group services to the P-55 project include classification and statutory certification plus:

– Design review for the entire project including structure, mechanical systems, electrical and automation, process, safety, hydrodynamics and the mooring system.

– Independent Risk and Safety studies performed during the FEED and detailed design phases, including PHA, HAZID, HAZOP, SIL/LOPA, dropped objects and collision studies, gas dispersion, fire, explosion and flare CFD 3D simulations and noise studies.

– Design review of lower hull structural integrity during assembling phase at Estaleiro Atlantico Sul.

– Independent structural studies performed by Tecnitas for the lifting of P-55 lower hull megablocks (up to 2,500 tonnes).

– Design review and second party inspections on behalf of Petrobras for the assembly and installation of the P-55 Steel Catenary Risers (SCR) export lines.

– P-55 flexible risers and flowlines Type Approved by Bureau Veritas.

The P-55 was designed by Petrobras R&D Department (CENPES) and GUSTO (deck box and topsides). It was built over several sites simultaneously. The main ones were the lower hull fabrication and assembly at Estaleiro Atlantico Sul (EAS) in Suape, Pernambuco state and main production modules fabrication, integration and commissioning by QUIP at Estaleiro Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul state.

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Bureau Veritas, October 22, 2013