Libra Mero consortium lets first contract for steel tube umbilicals in Brazil
Jan. 23, 2020
A consortium led by Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) has let a contract to Prysmian Group for steel tube umbilicals to be installed in Mero oil field offshore Brazil in the northwestern Libra area of the Santos basin presalt.
The award refers to Mero 1, an ultra-deepwater project, which will consist of up to 17 wells and one floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO), situated some 180 km offshore Rio de Janeiro at a water depth of 2,000 m subsea (OGJ Online, Dec. 18, 2017). The Mero 1 project is the first project in the region to use steel tube umbilicals. Oil production is expected to begin in 2021.
The contract includes the supply of some 60 km of steel tube umbilicals consisting of 9 and 12 functions 1/2-in diameter 10 kpsi super duplex steel tubes that will be manufactured in the group’s production unit in Vila Velha, Brazil.
The Libra Consortium is led by Petrobras as operator with 40% interest. Partners are Shell and Total, 20% each; and China National Petroleum Corp. and CNOOC Ltd., 10% each. State-owned Pre-Sal Petroleo is contract manager.
