Brazil’s Atupu FPSO Platform Enters Final Hookup Phase

Brazil's Atupu FPSO Platform
 

Offshore Magazine recently published this article "Atapu platform enters final hookup phase offshore Brazil" which includes delivery statuses for the P-70 and P-71 FPSOs. Petrobras expects to begin production of Brazil's Atupu FPSO Platform via the P-70 FPSO by mid-2020. Anchoring activities have been completed for the purpose-built unit, which was constructed in China by Cosco (hull) and COOEC (topsides).

 
 

Petrobras’ P-70 FPSO is one of the last in a series of FPSOs ordered in 2010. At the time, oil prices were high, and the industry was booming. Originally, Petrobras ordered eight FPSO units beginning with P-66, all of which were to be completely built in Brazil. Due to construction delays, Petrobras cancelled the last three units (P-71, P-72 and P-73), and later re-contracted to take delivery of P-71.

Each of the six FPSO units (P-66 through P-71) is designed to process 150,000 b/d of oil and 6 MMcm/d of gas, while storing 1.6 million bbls of oil.

According to Petrobras’ First Quarter Production and Sales Report published in April, the P-71 FPSO, the last of these serial units, arrived in Espirito Santo, in southeastern Brazil, to undergo integration with other modules at the Jurong Aracruz Shipyard. Completion is scheduled for 2022.

It has taken Petrobras 10 (plus) years to complete this lot of identical units, the majority of which ended up being built in China. By comparison, leased units from Modec and SBM with similar specifications (Cidade de Ilhabela, Cd Marica, Cd Saquarema, Cd Mangaratiba MV24, Cd Itaguai MV26, Cd Campos dos Goytacazes MV29), were all converted in China in approximately three years.

Despite FPSO project delays and missteps, Petrobras is faring well during these uncertain times. “The negative effects of the global recession caused by the public health crisis did not substantially impact production and sales performance in 1Q20,” wrote Petrobras in the first quarter report.

Additionally, on May 4, 2020, Petrobras announced an oil export record, recording 1 million b/d of oil exported in April 2020 handedly surpassing the company’s 771,000 b/d of oil exported record set in December 2019. Despite global uncertainties related to the COVID-19 virus and pandemic, Petrobras has plans to continue production and export. The company’s Chief Refining and Natural Gas Officer Anelise Lara commented, “We expect to continue with a good performance of our exports, due to the resumption of demand from China together with actions to develop new markets for our products.”

 

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Offshore Magazine recently published this article “Atapu platform enters final hookup phase offshore Brazil which includes delivery statuses for the P-70 and P-71 FPSOs. Petrobras expects to begin production of Brazil’s Atupu FPSO Platform via the P-70 FPSO by mid-2020. Anchoring activities have been completed for the purpose-built unit, which was constructed in China by Cosco (hull) and COOEC (topsides).