4D FIXED INSTALLATION SEISMIC
Presalt focus firmly on Brazil B
Brazil’s presalt area remains a focus for investment in South America. Sean Ottewell reports.
Brasiliens Vor-Salz-Zone ist nach wie vor ein Investitionsschwerpunkt in Südamerika. Sean Ottewell berichtet.
La zona presalina de Brasil continúa siendo un foco de inversiones en Sudamérica. Afirma Sean Ottewell.
razil’s emerging presalt play is uncovering large carbonate reserves deep below thick salt layers buried
over 2000 metres deep. According to Baker Hughes, while the carbonate reservoir, the salt layer, and the water depth all represent major challenges to optimally drill, complete, and produce – the prize is massive. So the company is focused on maximising
its customers’ return on investment by offering help to optimise drilling and production while reducing intervention in these substantially challenging plays. To this end it has significantly
improved the rate of penetration (ROP) in these slow-to-drill carbonates with its TruTrak drilling system, CoPilot real-time drilling optimisation service and Quantec premium polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bit-bottom hole assembly (BHA) combinations (Fig. 1). Baker Hughes’ intelligent production systems give users the information and ability to make confident decisions that accelerate production, increase ultimate recovery, and reduce total cost of ownership. Selectively controlling the drawdown of each producing zone can prevent formation damage caused by sand fines movement, asphaltene precipitation, and scales. “We can change flow characteristics while minimising intervention and associated cost, risk, and production downtime. Tis approach can add millions of Dollars to a well’s net present value through accelerated production and ultimate recovery,” says the company. Meanwhile Aker Solutions has signed a
frame agreement with Petrobras to supply 40 subsea trees for the Iara and Guará fields, located in the challenging pre-salt area of the Santos basin offshore Brazil. Te contract value is approximately US $300 million. Scope of works includes engineering and manufacturing of 40 vertical subsea trees for 2500 metres water depth, subsea control systems and 17 complete tool sets. Delivery will take place over the next four years. With this latest contract for Iara and
Guará, Aker Solutions will provide subsea production equipment for all the three
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initial field developments of the Brazilian pre-salt area. Te first pre-salt subsea job was awarded in December 2008, when Aker Solutions won a contract to supply nine subsea trees for the Tupi pilot project. “Our experience developing the Tupi pilot
project, the expanded manufacturing capacity at our facility in Curitiba and a consistent commercial and technical proposal were crucial to secure this contract. Tis evidence is aligned with our objective of being Petrobras’ preferred partner for subsea developments,” said Marcelo Taulois, president of Aker Solutions’ subsea business in Brazil. Mads Andersen, executive vice president
of Aker Solutions, highlighted what he described as the company’s market leading deepwater technology as another decisive factor in winning this contract: “In recent years, Aker Solutions has made significant investments in Brazil – both in developing suitable deepwater technologies and our manufacturing capacity. Our current dominance in the pre-salt area is also down to a highly qualified workforce which is dedicated to meeting the future demand of the Brazilian oil industry. Our company is well prepared to help Petrobras explore the pre-salt layer.” Te Guara field (BM-S-9) will receive
14 trees of this contract, and will be explored by a consortium where Petrobras has 45 per cent participation, BG Group has 30 per cent and Repsol YPF 25 per cent. Te Iara field (BM-S-11) which belongs to Petrobras (65 per cent), BG Group (25 per cent) and Petrogal (10 per cent), will receive 26 trees. Te complete scope of work will be managed, engineered and executed by Aker Solutions’ manufacturing facility in Curitiba, Brazil, with support from Aberdeen, UK, for the subsea control systems. Delivery of the first subsea tree is scheduled for the end of 2011. Aker Solutions has built up a significant
presence in Brazil since establishing the company in the country in 1978. Today Aker Solutions has 850 employees in Brazil, of which 99 per cent are Brazilian nationals. In April Repsol and Petrobras confirmed to the Brazilian authorities the commercial
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