Cidade de Marica FPSO arrives in Brazil for module integration
Petroleo Brasilierio SA (Petrobras) reported that the Cidade de Marica floating production, storage, and offloading vessel is berthed at Brasa shipyard in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil for module lifting and integration following a 19,678-km trek from China.
The FPSO is expected to begin operations in 2,120 m of water during the first half of 2016 from the Lula Alto area of Lula field in the Santos basin presalt. Converted from a very large crude carrier in CXG yard in China, Cidade de Marica will be able to process 150,000 bo/d, store 1.6 million bo, and compress 6 million cu m/d of gas.
Cidade de Marica is one of two carbon-copy FPSOs being constructed from the blueprint for the Cidade de Ilhabela FPSO, the mother ship, which sailed from Brasa to start production late last year (OGJ Online, Nov. 21, 2014).
Conversion work on the hull and some module integration was completed in China before Cidade de Marica set sail for Brazil in April. It’s the second FPSO to moor and be integrated at Brasa shipyard since it opened in 2012.
“Integration of the hull and topsides will take place at Brasa where some of the modules have also been fabricated,” explained Martijn Kleijn, project manager for SBM Offshore, part owner of the FPSO. “The yard is ready to begin the module lifting phase using the yard’s Pelicano-1 barge crane. Additional modules were constructed and delivered by EBSE, a Rio yard that SBM works closely with as part of its development of local content solutions.”
Sister ship Cidade de Saquarema, currently in the CXG yard, is also destined for Lula and is being converted in parallel. Planned delivery for FPSOs Cidade de Marica and Cidade de Saquarema is expected respectively by yearend 2015 and early 2016. Cameron is providing gas dehydration and carbon dioxide removal packages for the vessels (OGJ Online, Oct. 1, 2013).
The FPSOs are owned and will be operated by a joint venture owned by affiliated companies of SBM Offshore, Mitsubishi Corp., Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha, and Queiroz Galvao Oleo e Gas SA in which SBM Offshore shareholding is 56%.
Lula field in Block BM-S-11 is operated by Petrobras with 65% interest in partnership with BG E&P Brasil Ltda. 25% and Petrogal SA Brasil 10%. SBM Offshore’s contract with BM-S-11 consortium subsidiary Tupi BV is for the 20-year charter and operation of the two FPSOs.
Petrobras also reported last week that the Cidade de Itaguai FPSO anchored at the Iracema Norte area of Lula field (OGJ Online, July 7, 2015).