Petrobras Sets Pre-Salt Production Record. Total Output in May Down 2 Pct (Brazil)

Petrobras Sets Pre-Salt Production Record (Brazil)

Petrobras, Brazil’s state-run oil and gas corporation, on May 18, set a new pre-salt production record, with an output of 322,100 barrels of oil per day (bpd), 11,000 bpd up on the previous record of 311,500 bpd (April 17).

In addition to encouraging figures for pre-salt production, the company also achieved record output in Espírito Santo, with a monthly average figure of 322,700 bpd, surpassing the previous record set in December 2011.

During May, the production of oil and liquid natural gas (LNG) for all Petrobras fields in Brazil averaged 1.892 million bpd, 1.7% down on the April figure (1.924 million barrels). Including the share operated by Petrobras for partner companies, exclusive oil output in Brazil was 1.942 million bpd.

This was partly offset by the increasing contribution from pre-salt areas to consolidated output results.

In May, total output (oil and natural gas) from domestic fields was 2.267 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed), 2.1% down on the previous month. Including the share operated by Petrobras for partner companies, total output was 2.359 million boed.

Added to the company’s output abroad, Petrobras’ total oil and natural gas output in May averaged 2.500 million boed, 2% down on the April figure.

Scheduled shutdowns

The in output was due to scheduled maintenance shutdowns on platforms P-25 and P-31, in the Campos Basin’s Albacora field, and on FPSO Cidade de Angra dos Reis, operating in the Campos Basin’s Lula field pilot project.

FPSO Cidade de Angra dos Reis was shut down for maintenance at the same time as the Caraguatatuba Gas Processing Unit (UTGCA) was undergoing plant adjustments to ramp up processing of increasing volumes of richer gas from the pre-salt. While the FPSO was shut down, routine preventive inspections of processing plant boilers and pressure vessels were also carried out. The FPSO is now back to normal operation.

Natural Gas Production

Non-liquefied natural gas output from Petrobras’ fields in Brazil was 59.722 million cm3 per day, 2.702 cm3 down on the April figure. This was due to simultaneous shutdowns in the Mexilhão field and of the UTGCA in Caraguatatuba. Total gas output in Brazil, including the share operated by Petrobras for partner companies, was 66.349 million cm3 per day, no change on the April figure.

International Production

In May, total oil and natural gas output abroad was 233,345 boed, a 1.3% on April. This figure includes output of 144,303 barrels of oil per day, 1.7% down on the previous month. International natural gas output stood at 15.128 million cm3 per day, 0.6% down on April.

The in international production was mainly due to the maintenance shutdown on the Nakika platform, in the Coulomb Field, USA.

Information to the Brazilian National Petroleum Agency (ANP)

In May 2013, total output reported to ANP was 9,040,864.09 m³ of oil and 2,169,168.76 thousand m³ of gas. These figure corresponds to the total output of concessions where Petrobras is the operator. It does not include shale, LNG and partners’ output where Petrobras is not the operator.

 

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Press Release, July 3, 2013