Petrobras opts for Vallourec’s tubular solutions on pre-salt assets

Tubular solutions provider Vallourec has signed new contracts for the supply of products and services to the Brazilian national oil company Petrobras.

In the framework of these long-term agreements, Vallourec will supply Petrobras’ operations with OCTG products and associated accessories, the company said on Thursday.

The products and associated services will be used by Petrobras on its offshore oil & gas exploration and production wells, located in reservoirs of the pre-salt basin. The Petrobras production coming out from pre-salt area already represents more than 50% of Petrobras total production.

Philippe Crouzet, Chairman of Vallourec’s Management Board, declared: “Petrobras is one of the most productive oil companies in the world and operates in pre-salt areas where the potential is huge. We are proud to have taken up the challenge once again, to answer the technological challenges of Petrobras.”

According to Vallourec, the Brazilian pre-salt fields combine several challenges besides the salt layer itself: well depths up to 7,000 meters, ultra-deepwater conditions with up to 2,000 meters between surface and seabed, acid corrosion caused by H2S and CO2 contaminants, temperatures and pressures tending toward High Pressure/High Temperature conditions in certain areas.

Associating all these parameters together has an important impact on the exploration models, and on the requirements for OCTG products able to withstand such a combination of mechanical, corrosive and thermal constraints.

Vallourec claims it is able to meet all these technological needs and will supply Petrobras with seamless pipes for sour service using high alloyed material as well as advanced premium connections.