The new platforms
12/09/2008
To explore the major oil discoveries that were announced recently, Petrobras will need more platforms to lift the entire volume of oil and gas contained in them. Work has not only already been kicked-off at the shipyards, but is at full steam, generating more jobs and reinforcing the Brazilian naval industry. In the 2008-2012 period alone, 12 platforms will be build for a total cost of R$16 billion.
Last year, five major platforms went online and helped Petrobras increase its production even more: P-52 and P-54, in the Roncador field; FPSO Cidade de Vitória, in the Espírito Santo Basin; the Piranema platform, in Sergipe, and FPSO Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, in the Espadarte field – Camps Basin. Meanwhile, in 2008, in addition to FPSO Cidade de Rio das Ostras, which started operating in March in the Badejo field – Campos Basin, four more units are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
P-53
Platform P-53 is the next. With investments of $1.3 billion, it will be capable of producing 180,000 barrels/day of oil and 6 million cubic meters of gas per day. The P-53 is born a giant, generating 92 megawatts of power, in addition to treating and injecting 245,000 cubic meters of water per day.
Built from the conversion of an oil tanker called Settebello, the P-53 will be installed in the Campos Basin, in the Marlim Leste field, at a site where water depth is 1,080 meters. The figures are impressive. The platform weighs some 12,000 tons, it is more than 73 m tall, its moonpool (an opening in the middle of the platform used to maneuver heavy duty equipment used in the sea) is 25 m in diameter, and the platform’s deck is 35 m in diameter, being able to operate with up to 75 flexible risers (cables that transport the oil to the platform).
During the construction period, more than 4,000 new jobs were created, directly related to the engineering, construction, and assembly areas. Additionally, a large amount of indirect jobs were generated in the capital goods industry. The minimum national content for the construction work is 65%.
More P-53 peculiarities. The unit has the biggest internal Turret ever manufactured and installed in the world. The Turret is an anchoring system that allows the vessel to be rotated 360° as to always be directed according to the force of the waves, wind, and current to reduce effort on the vessel’s hull.
P-51 - First platform built entirely in Brazil
With investments of $850 million, the P-51 is a milestone in the Brazilian naval industry, as it is the first semi-submersible platform built entirely in Brazil. With minimum national content of nearly 70%, more than 4,800 direct jobs were generated during its construction.
The unit is scheduled to go online late this year, in the Marlim Sul field, in the Campos Basin, and it will be capable of processing and treating 180,000 barrels of oil and six million cubic meters of gas/day. Additionally, it will inject approximately 45,000 cubic meters of water/day in the reservoir, and it will have 85 risers at a water depth of 1,225 meters. The P-51 will be 125 meters tall, 110 meters long, and generate some 100 megawatts of power, enough to light a city of approximately 300,000 inhabitants.
After the P-51 sets sail from the Brasfels shipyard, in Angra dos Reis, towards its destination, construction work will be kicked-off for the P-56, which will generate 4,800 jobs. This platform will be a clone of the P-51 and is expected to start operating, also in the Campos Basin, in 2010.
Types of platforms
Petrobras counts on several types of platforms, the choice of which depends, among other issues, on the sea and on logistics. The company uses fixed and semi-submersible units, FPSOs (vessels adapted to operate as platforms) and, more recently, round FPSOs.
Fixed – Assembled on a steel structure, the process plant (where well fluids are separated and treated) is on top of this structure. This type of platform is appropriate for shallow waters, as it would not be feasible to build a platform like this to operate at great depths.
Floating – There are two types of floating units. The first is the semi-submersible, which is anchored and is used in deep waters. It is stable, but cannot store oil or gas and depends on a vessel or pipeline to transport its production. The second model is the FPSO, a vessel that is equipped its own apparatuses to produce, process, store, and transfer oil and gas.
Petrobras pioneering spirit stands-out in the usage of the round FPSO. The first experience with this concept started in October 2007 in Northeastern Brazil, off the coast of Aracaju. Chartered form Norwegian outfit Sevan AS for 11 years, the Piranema platform is more stable because of the circular hull, which allows for less resistance to the impact of the waves and of the wind. Additionally, the double hull affords more environmental safety: the space between the two steel plates is filled with seawater, which works as ballast and minimizes the risk of spillage.
Another concept that Petrobras will introduce in Brazil is the Tension Leg Wellhead Platform (TLWP). The technology is being studied for the Papa-Terra Field, in the Campos Basin. This type of platform is a TLP, floating units built using a structure that is rather similar to that of a semi-submersible platform, connected to the seabed by means of metal tubes or composite materials, except for the fact that the wells and a drilling rig is installed instead of the process plant
To explore the major oil discoveries that were announced recently, Petrobras will need more platforms to lift the entire volume of oil and gas contained in them. Work has not only already been kicked-off at the shipyards, but is at full steam, generating more jobs and reinforcing the Brazilian naval industry. In the 2008-2012 period alone, 12 platforms will be build for a total cost of R$16 billion.
Last year, five major platforms went online and helped Petrobras increase its production even more: P-52 and P-54, in the Roncador field; FPSO Cidade de Vitória, in the Espírito Santo Basin; the Piranema platform, in Sergipe, and FPSO Cidade do Rio de Janeiro, in the Espadarte field – Camps Basin. Meanwhile, in 2008, in addition to FPSO Cidade de Rio das Ostras, which started operating in March in the Badejo field – Campos Basin, four more units are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
P-53
Platform P-53 is the next. With investments of $1.3 billion, it will be capable of producing 180,000 barrels/day of oil and 6 million cubic meters of gas per day. The P-53 is born a giant, generating 92 megawatts of power, in addition to treating and injecting 245,000 cubic meters of water per day.
Built from the conversion of an oil tanker called Settebello, the P-53 will be installed in the Campos Basin, in the Marlim Leste field, at a site where water depth is 1,080 meters. The figures are impressive. The platform weighs some 12,000 tons, it is more than 73 m tall, its moonpool (an opening in the middle of the platform used to maneuver heavy duty equipment used in the sea) is 25 m in diameter, and the platform’s deck is 35 m in diameter, being able to operate with up to 75 flexible risers (cables that transport the oil to the platform).
During the construction period, more than 4,000 new jobs were created, directly related to the engineering, construction, and assembly areas. Additionally, a large amount of indirect jobs were generated in the capital goods industry. The minimum national content for the construction work is 65%.
More P-53 peculiarities. The unit has the biggest internal Turret ever manufactured and installed in the world. The Turret is an anchoring system that allows the vessel to be rotated 360° as to always be directed according to the force of the waves, wind, and current to reduce effort on the vessel’s hull.
P-51 - First platform built entirely in Brazil
With investments of $850 million, the P-51 is a milestone in the Brazilian naval industry, as it is the first semi-submersible platform built entirely in Brazil. With minimum national content of nearly 70%, more than 4,800 direct jobs were generated during its construction.
The unit is scheduled to go online late this year, in the Marlim Sul field, in the Campos Basin, and it will be capable of processing and treating 180,000 barrels of oil and six million cubic meters of gas/day. Additionally, it will inject approximately 45,000 cubic meters of water/day in the reservoir, and it will have 85 risers at a water depth of 1,225 meters. The P-51 will be 125 meters tall, 110 meters long, and generate some 100 megawatts of power, enough to light a city of approximately 300,000 inhabitants.
After the P-51 sets sail from the Brasfels shipyard, in Angra dos Reis, towards its destination, construction work will be kicked-off for the P-56, which will generate 4,800 jobs. This platform will be a clone of the P-51 and is expected to start operating, also in the Campos Basin, in 2010.
Types of platforms
Petrobras counts on several types of platforms, the choice of which depends, among other issues, on the sea and on logistics. The company uses fixed and semi-submersible units, FPSOs (vessels adapted to operate as platforms) and, more recently, round FPSOs.
Fixed – Assembled on a steel structure, the process plant (where well fluids are separated and treated) is on top of this structure. This type of platform is appropriate for shallow waters, as it would not be feasible to build a platform like this to operate at great depths.
Floating – There are two types of floating units. The first is the semi-submersible, which is anchored and is used in deep waters. It is stable, but cannot store oil or gas and depends on a vessel or pipeline to transport its production. The second model is the FPSO, a vessel that is equipped its own apparatuses to produce, process, store, and transfer oil and gas.
Petrobras pioneering spirit stands-out in the usage of the round FPSO. The first experience with this concept started in October 2007 in Northeastern Brazil, off the coast of Aracaju. Chartered form Norwegian outfit Sevan AS for 11 years, the Piranema platform is more stable because of the circular hull, which allows for less resistance to the impact of the waves and of the wind. Additionally, the double hull affords more environmental safety: the space between the two steel plates is filled with seawater, which works as ballast and minimizes the risk of spillage.
Another concept that Petrobras will introduce in Brazil is the Tension Leg Wellhead Platform (TLWP). The technology is being studied for the Papa-Terra Field, in the Campos Basin. This type of platform is a TLP, floating units built using a structure that is rather similar to that of a semi-submersible platform, connected to the seabed by means of metal tubes or composite materials, except for the fact that the wells and a drilling rig is installed instead of the process plant
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