SBM Offshore: Twin FPSOs to swap places in Brazilian yard

SBM Offshore, the world’s largest provider of FPSO units, has informed that its floating, production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) Cidade de Maricá will depart shortly from the quayside to offshore Brazil. 

The FPSO arrived in Brazilian waters mid-June and berthed at the Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro-based Brasa shipyard on July 9, 2015.

Once it arrives to its location on Lula field in the Santos basin, it will be installed and operated there for the next 20 years.

Meanwhile, its sister vessel FPSO Cidade de Saquarema is currently waiting in Rio’s Guanabara Bay to take her turn at SBM Offshore’s joint-venture Brasa shipyard by year end.

FPSO Cidade de Saquarema arrived in Brazilian waters early November, following her 57-day and 10,738 Nm (approximately 20,000 Km) voyage from China, where conversion of the two vessels’ hulls took place.

According to SBM Offshore, the module lifting campaign will begin immediately once Cidade de Saquarema is safely berthed at Brasa. Integration of the modules fabricated in Brazil will be followed by final commissioning before setting sail in 2016 to join Cidade de Maricá on Lula field.

FPSO Cidade de Maricá and FPSO Cidade de Saquarema will bring SBM Offshore’s Brazilian operating fleet to a total of seven vessels by mid-2016. Both vessels are carbon-copies, designed and being constructed from the blueprint of the mothership FPSO Cidade de Ilhabela, which started production November 24, 2014. FPSO Cidade de Ilhabela is currently the deepest in SBM Offshore’s operating fleet at 2,140m and has the largest throughput capacity at 150,000 bpd of oil per day and the twins will have the same capacity, the FPSO provider said.

SBM Offshore Chief Operating Officer Philippe Barril commented: “We are happy with the progress to date on FPSOs Cidade de Saquarema and Cidade de Maricá and we look forward to the delivery of the FPSOs to our client Petrobras.”

Project Director John Perkins says: “The Company is very proud to welcome Cidade de Saquarema to the quayside for the final integration of her modules and the team is ready for the next lifting campaign using the Pelicano-1 barge crane, which has already proven the quality work that can be achieved here in Brazil on the previous lifting campaigns for FPSOs Cidade de Maricá and Cidade de Ilhabela.”