Petrobras starts production from another Santos basin FPSO

Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) has launched production from the Cidade de Ilhabelha floating production, storage, and offloading vessel in Sapinhoa field of the Santos basin presalt.

Cidade de Ilhabelha is operating in 2,140 m of water, 310 km off the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. The FPSO is capable of producing 150,000 b/d and storing 1.6 million bbl of oil, compressing up to 6 million cu m/day of natural gas, and injecting 180,000 b/d of water.

Well 3-SPS-69, the first to go into operation, has a production potential of 32,000 b/d. Oil produced in Sapinhoa averages 29° gravity and will be offloaded by tankers.

The gas not used for reinjection will be transported through the Sapinhoa-Lula-Mexilhao gas pipeline to the Monteiro Lobato gas treatment unit in Caraguatatuba on the coast of Sao Paulo state. Cidade de Ilhabela will be connected to nine production wells and seven injection wells. Peak production is expected in next year’s second half.

Petrobras contracted a consortium of QGOG and SBM Offshore in March 2012 to build the FPSO. The hull was converted from a tanker at the CXG shipyard in China, while the integration of the process plant modules took place at the Brasa Shipyard in Niteroi in Rio de Janeiro state.

Sapinhoa production started in January 2013 by interconnecting well 1-SPS-55 to FPSO Cidade de Sao Paulo, whose production capacity is 120,000 b/d (OGJ Online, May 16, 2014).

Sapinhoa is operated by Petrobras with 45% interest. Remaining interest is held by BG E&P Brasil Ltda. 30% and Repsol Sinopec SA 25%.