Petrobras taps membrane system for gas processing aboard FPSOs

Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) has chosen membrane systems from UOP LLC, Des Plaines, Ill., to process natural gas aboard eight new floating production, storage, and offloading vessels. The FPSOs will handle production from Lula oil field in the Santos basin off Brazil, UOP said.

Each Separax membrane systems will remove carbon dioxide and water from as much as 6 million cu m/day following vessel commissioning expected between 2014 and 2017. Petrobras awarded the units in October 2011, said the announcement, and Honeywell’s UOP will deliver the membrane units between 2013 and 2017.

UOP said the new systems for Petrobras will join two already installed aboard FPSOs owned and operated by a third party in Tupi and Guara fields.