FPSO P-54 module integration at Mauá Shipyard
ANALYSIS • BRAZIL
investment map of major oil and gas companies in 2017,’ he said.
However, not everyone is in favour. The president of the Brazilian Association of Industrial Machinery and Equipment (Abimaq), João Carlos Marchesan, was quoted in the Brazilian press as saying; ‘The decision is dumb with regard to the Brazilian industry, but it perfectly suits the interests of the world’s major oil companies.’
Strategic Partnership Local content rule relaxed
New requirements for shipbuilding mean many yards now look to repairs, reports Claudio Paschoa
This year has brought positive news for the Brazilian maritime sector, albeit dependent companies adapting to the market’s present reduced circumstances.
Shipyards, for instance, have been hit heavily by national oil major Petrobras’ woes, leading to a harsh string of contract cancellations, a sharp decrease in workforce and a bleak outlook for future orders. This has led to some yards going out of business or seeking judicial protection, while others are busy adapting their infrastructure to handle the demand in repair and maintenance for vessels serving the offshore oil and gas market.
In late March Mauá Shipyard in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, one of the oldest in Brazil, closed its doors and asked its 2,000 workers to stay home. It had already been concentrating on repair and maintenance for some time, and at presstime was still seeking a new financial solution.
However, other yards in Rio and other Brazilian states have been able to secure enough repair and
maintenance jobs to survive, in some cases even seeing modest growth.
20 Visit:
seatrade-maritime.com
Some positive news came from the Brazilian government, which announced a new policy to enhance and encourage investments in the oil and gas (O&G) sector in Brazil. The Minister of Mines and Energy, Fernando Coelho Filho, confirmed changes in the local content demands, which will be reduced on average by half. With the new policy, which will come into effect in September, there will be more freedom to negotiate with suppliers, resulting in increased competitiveness.
In the new local content scheme, five macro groups have been established, whereas previously, there were up to 70 items and sub-items, each with a different local content percentage. In the minister's view, the percentage required was too high and the system too complex.
The new minimum local content requirement starts at 50% for onshore exploration and production, 18% for offshore exploration in areas over 100mtr deep, 25% for well construction, 40% for collection and disposal systems, including subsea systems and 25% for stationary production units, including FPSOs.
According to Coelho Filho, the changes announced by the government will result in new jobs and greater income generation opportunities for the Brazilian population, as national companies will have more competitive prices. ‘Brazil will once again be on the
In another important development for the Brazilian O&G sector, which should also have a positive impact on the maritime sector, Petrobras and Total have signed definitive contracts in relation to the package of assets contemplated in their Strategic Alliance plans. The contracts seal the cooperation deal between the two super-majors, creating new partnerships in Upstream and Downstream sectors, with reinforced technical cooperation covering operations, research and technology, along with a strong emphasis in deep water E&P.
Pedro Parente, Petrobras’ ceo and Patrick Pouyanné, chairman and ceo of Total, have jointly declared: ‘We are delighted today to see our Strategic Alliance becoming reality. These new partnerships together with a reinforced technological cooperation should create significant synergies and values, mutualising our operational excellence and further reducing costs on our joint projects for the benefit of both companies’. Total will pay to Petrobras a global amount of $2.225bn, with $1.675bn in cash for assets and services, $400m that can be triggered to carry a part of Petrobras’s investment share in the Iara development fields and $150m as contingency payments.
The Strategic Alliance is an important part of Petrobras’ 2017-2021 Business and Management Plan, aimed at enhancing the sharing of information, experiences, and technologies, corporate governance strengthening, and improving the company's finances through mitigation of risks, cash inflow, and release of investments. The new partnership also solidifies Total’s position in Brazil through access to new
Seatrade Maritime Review • Quarterly Issue 2 • June 2017
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
