Petrobras and partners have taken the investment decision for the third phase of the Mero project in the ultra-deep Libra block offshore Brazil in the Santos basin, 180 km from Rio de Janeiro.
Mero 3 follows investment decisions for Mero 1 (startup expected in 2021) and Mero 2 (startup expected in 2023) FPSOs, both of which have liquid processing capacities of 180,000 b/d (OGJ Online, Jan. 3, 2020).
Petrobras signed a letter of intent with MISC Berhad for FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias to produce Mero 3 in the southern part of the field. It will have a liquid treatment capacity of 180,000 b/d and is expected to start up by 2024. The project plans to tie back eight oil producers and seven water and gas injectors to the FPSO through rigid production and injection flowlines, flexible service flowlines, and control umbilicals.
The Libra consortium will carry out a pilot test of HISEP in Miro 3—a high-pressure separation technology developed and patented by Petrobras. It consists of CO2 subsea separation and reinjection using centrifugal pumps. This will relieve the oil processing plant in the FPSO and increase oil production, Petrobras said Aug. 17.
Mero was discovered by the 2-ANP-2A-RJS appraisal well in 2010 and has been in pre-production since 2017 with the 50,000 b/d Pioneiro de Libra FPSO (OGJ Online, Feb. 3, 2020).
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.
