Offshore staff
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The Guanabara FPSO on the deepwater Mero Field in the presalt Santos Basin offshore Brazil has reached its maximum oil production capacity of 180,000 bbl/d.
The landmark occurred about eight months after Petrobras brought the platform onstream. Guanabara, which is connected to four producing wells and three gas injectors, is the first of four full-scale FPSOs for the Mero development, each of which will have identical production capacities.
Petrobras attributed the performance to high productivity per well and use of technologies such as the "loop configuration’ for the water and gas injection wells and the separation of CO2 by membranes.
"The result shows a rampup of production at a consistent pace, indicating the field's high productivity,” said chief E&P officer, Fernando Borges.
Another feature is the application of emissions reduction technology (Mero’s gas has a 45% CO2 content).
In addition, Petrobras and its partners in the development are progressing HISEP (high-pressure separation) subsea technology to separate on the seafloor the CO2-rich gas produced for reinjection into the reservoir.
Mero’s first FPSO, Pioneiro de Libra, which operates the Early Production System (SPA 2), is producing 50,000 bbl/d.
During the second half of this year, the second full-size FPSO, Sepetiba, is due to be installed with two more platforms in operation by 2025. This will raise Mero’s installed capacity to 770,000 bbl/d.
The field is the third largest in the presalt Santos Basin, behind Tupi and Búzios.
Other members of the Mero consortium are Shell, TotalEnergies, CNODC, CNOOC and Pré-Sal Petróleo, the Brazilian government's representative in the non-contracted area.
01.17.2023
