WATCH: ‘Mega’ equipment piece fitted into place at Brazilian oil project ahead of FPSO arrival

Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor has wrapped up the installation of an important component in the process of bringing online its operated oil field off the coast of Brazil.

With the completion of the installation of “a mega piece of equipment” in ultra-deep waters of the Brazilian pre-salt, Equinor has come closer to the first oil from its Bacalhau project. This gas lift manifold, whose main function is to stabilize the pressure of the fluids not only during the initiation of the wells but during the different phases of the field’s life, is expected to ensure the elevation of the fluids to the surface with more safety and efficiency.

According to the Norwegian oil and gas heavyweight, the gas lift manifold is “an essential component” for the field’s oil and gas production. With a weight of about 170 tons, length of 16 meters, width of 9 meters, and height of 4 meters, the company explains that this equipment corresponds to the size of two large trucks placed side by side. The installation was done with the Boka SubC offshore construction vessel.

Furthermore, a multidisciplinary team worked to safely complete the installation of the gas lift manifold for the arrival of the FPSO Bacalhau. The project is expected to generate 3,000 jobs during its development phase, bringing value to Brazil. The FPSO modules left Aibel’s Thai yard on January 23, 2024, to travel to Singapore, where they would be installed on board the FPSO. This vessel will be delivered by Japan’s MODEC to Equinor, as one of the world’s largest FPSOs.

With a production capacity of 220,000 barrels per day, the FPSO Bacalhau will be deployed at the Bacalhau field which is situated across two licenses, BM-S-8 and Norte de Carcará, in the pre-salt region of the Santos Basin offshore Brazil. The Norwegian energy giant made the final investment decision (FID) for the $8 billion project in June 2021. The FPSO marks the first application of MODEC’s M350 hull, a next-generation newbuild hull for FPSOs.

Moreover, the Bacalhau development entails 19 subsea wells tied back to the FPSO, which is 364 meters long, 64 meters wide, and 33 meters deep, with a designed draft of 22.65 meters and a deck area of 17,400 square meters. This is equivalent to three standard football fields.

The recoverable reserves of Bacalhau, including the Bacalhau North area, are more than two billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe). The first oil is anticipated in 2025. Equinor operates the field in partnership with ExxonMobil, Petrogal Brasil, and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. (PPSA).

Installation of gas lift manifold for Bacalhau in ultra-deep waters of Brazilian pre-salt

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