Spotlight: Brazil’s offshore decommissioning
Petrobras unanchored the P-32 FPSO in the Campos basin Marlim field on November 23, as the first floating platform to follow the new model for the sustainable disposal of vessels adopted by Petrobras.
The floating production unit will be recycled by the Ecovix (Engevix) group at the Rio Grande shipyard in Rio Grande do Sul state, with the scrap going to steelmaker Gerdau.
Another 11 floating units will follow the same guidelines over the next five years.
The platform’s recycling plan, drawn up by Gerdau-Ecovix, includes everything from the first procedures for receiving the unit, through the dismantling work, which will take place in a dry dock, to the final disposal of the waste resulting from disassembly.
Announced last week, Petrobras’ 2024-2028 business plan foresees an investment of US$11.4bn in decommissioning projects.
Of the total capex, 71% will be directed to the Campos basin, 23% to the north and northeast regions, 5% to the Santos basin and 1% to other basins.
There will be 23 platforms decommissioned, 14 of which are floating and nine fixed, as well as approximately 1,900km of flexible lines (subsea pipelines) and 550 wells.
After 2028, Petrobras estimates that another 40 platforms will have to be decommissioned, 35 of them fixed and five floating.
At the moment, the state-run firm is carrying out the auction for the sustainable disposal of FPSO P-33, which is also located in Marlim, and will follow the same decommissioning model as P-32.
Discovered in 1985, Marlim will have eight platforms removed. In their place, the new FPSOs Anna Nery and Anita Garibaldi have been installed as part of the field’s revitalization program.
Brazil’s oil and gas watchdog ANP projects that offshore decommissioning activities in the country will require 51.5bn reais in investments between 2023 and 2027, with around 40bn reais earmarked for projects in the Campos basin.
According to the regulatory agency, there are at least four platforms with an approved decommissioning program that have not yet been removed: P-33 and P-37 in Marlim, the Capixaba FPSO in the Cachalote field, and the Fluminense FPSO in Bijupirá/Salema.
Shell, the operator of Bijupirá, recently contracted Subsea 7 to decommission the subsea infrastructure associated with FPSO Fluminense.
The scope of the contract includes the disconnection, recovery and disposal of 10 flexible risers, three umbilicals and nine mooring lines. Work at sea is scheduled to begin in December.
The other offshore decommissioning plans approved (and not closed) by the ANP are as follows:
Decommissioning program
Operator
Basin
Status
Baúna Sul
Petrobras
Santos
Approved
Camarão Norte
Petrobras
Camamu
Approved
Carapiá
Petrobras
Santos
Approved
Remaining pipelines of the Pampo and Enchova fields
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Capixaba FPSO
Petrobras
Espírito Santo
Approved
Cidade de Niterói FPSO
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Cidade de Rio das Ostras
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Cidade de Santos
Petrobras
Santos
Approved
Cidade do Rio de Janeiro
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Fluminense FPSO
Shell
Campos
Approved
Petrojarl I FPSO
Enauta
Santos
Approved
Polvo FPSO
PRIO
Campos
Approved
Guaiuba
Petrobras
Potiguar
Approved
Guajá
Petrobras
Potiguar
Approved
Marlim Sul
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Mexilhão (Cedro)
Petrobras
Santos
Approved
Monoboia de PRA-1
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Moreia
Petrobras
Campos
Suspended
Nordeste de Namorado
Petrobras
Campos
Suspended
P-27
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Petrobras 07
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Petrobras 12
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Petrobras 15
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Petrobras 20
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Petrobras 26
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Petrobras 33
Petrobras
Campos
Approved
Pirapitanga
Petrobras
Santos
Approved
Plataforma 3R-4
3R Petroleum
Potiguar
Received
Plataforma 3R-5
3R Petroleum
Potiguar
Approved
Plataforma Biquara 1
Petrobras
Potiguar
Approved
Plataforma de Agulha 3
Petrobras
Potiguar
Received
Plataforma de Arabaiana 3
Petrobras
Potiguar
Suspended
Plataforma de Caioba 1
Petrobras
Sergipe
Received
Plataforma de Caioba 2
Petrobras
Sergipe
Received
Plataforma de Caioba 3
Petrobras
Sergipe
Received
Plataforma de Caioba 4
Petrobras
Sergipe
Received
Plataforma PCM-11 de Camorim
Petrobras
Sergipe
Received
Salema Branca
Petrobras
Potiguar
Approved
Salgo
Petrobras
Sergipe
Suspended
Sardinha
Petrobras
Camamu
Received
Siri
Petrobras
Potiguar
Approved
SPA 2 do campo de Mero – conceitual
Petrobras
Santos
Approved
Tambuatá
Petrobras
Santos
Approved
Tubarão Azul
Dommo Energia
Campos
Approved
Published: 29-11-2023
