Petrobras First to Use FPSO in U.S. Gulf of Mexico

Last thursday (17), the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation, and Enforcement (BOEMRE) granted Petrobras the final approval necessary for it to kick off oil and natural gas production for its Cascade-Chinook projects, in the Gulf of Mexico.

The bureau’s board highlighted the technological quality of Petrobras’ project and the collaboration between the industry and the U.S. government for the safe production of energy resources in the country.

By securing this approval, Petrobras will soon start production in the Gulf of Mexico, in fields located at a water depth of 2,500 meters. This will be the first time an FPSO-type vessel platform (a ship that has on-board production and storage facilities) will operate in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Petrobras has extensive experience operating FPSOs in deep and ultradeep Brazilian waters, including in the pre-salt fields.

The platform has a capacity to produce 80,000 barrels of oil and 500,000 cubic meters of gas per day. The main advantage afforded by the vessel platform is mobility. In the event of adverse weather conditions, the vessel can be disconnected from the well system and sail to safe areas.

The U.S. government’s recognition reinforces Petrobras’ presence as one of the major global players in ultradeep Gulf of Mexico waters, as already occurs off the coast of Brazil.

[mappress]

Source: Petrobras,  March 21, 2011;