Cachalote

Location

The Cachalote oil field is situated in the Campos Basin, which is beneath the coastal plain in the western portion of the South Atlantic Ocean. The field is approximately 80 km offshore and lies at a water depth of 1,478 meters.

Discovery and Geology

The Cachalote field was discovered in November 2002 through the drilling of well ESS-116. The Campos Basin, where the field is located, is a prolific hydrocarbon-producing area, contributing to about 60% of Brazil’s oil production. The hydrocarbon accumulations in the basin are distributed across the stratigraphic column from Neocomian to Miocene, with major reserves coming from lacustrine calcareous black shales deposited in a closed Upper Neocomian lake system.

Development

The development of the Cachalote field began with a pilot phase, which involved the drilling of a production well that started producing oil in 2008. Here are the key phases of the development:

• Pilot Phase: The pilot phase used the floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO) Seillean, which was deployed at the field in late 2008.
• Phase I: This phase involved the drilling of eight production wells and three injection wells. The first oil from Phase I was produced in May 2010. The production rate from the first production well, 7-CHT-5HA-ESS, was estimated at 22,000 barrels per day (bpd), and the field's production doubled to 44,000 bpd by June 2010.

Production and Infrastructure

• FPSO Capixaba: The main production for Phase I is carried out using the FPSO Capixaba, which is owned by SBM Offshore and leased by Petrobras for 12 years starting from 2010. The FPSO Capixaba operates at a depth of 1,480 meters and has the capacity to process one million barrels of oil per day and 3.2 million cubic meters of gas per day. It also has a storage capacity of 1.6 million barrels. The vessel is connected to nine wells, including three production and two injection wells at Cachalote, and three production wells and one injection well at the adjacent Baleia Franca field.
• Upgrades: The FPSO Capixaba was upgraded to handle the heavy oil from the Cachalote and Baleia Franca fields. The upgrades included the installation of crude oil inlet heaters, deck boilers, and waste heat recovery units, as well as additional gas compressors and the upgrading of existing main gas compressors.

Operational Details

• FPSO Seillean: During the pilot phase, the FPSO Seillean was used. This vessel was built in 1989 by Noble Corporation and has a storage capacity of 310,000 barrels and can process up to 20,000 bpd. It operates at a depth of 20.5 meters and is powered by three gas turbines.
• Personnel and Capacity: The FPSO Capixaba can accommodate 96 personnel and is equipped with advanced facilities to process and store oil and gas.

Integration with Other Fields

The Cachalote field is part of the Parque das Baleias area, which also includes the Jubarte, Baleia Anã, Caxaréu, Pirambú, and Mangangá fields. This integrated project involves multiple platforms and FPSOs, including the recently commissioned Maria Quitéria FPSO, which will contribute significantly to the overall production in the area.

Environmental and Efficiency Considerations

The Maria Quitéria FPSO, although primarily associated with the Jubarte field, is part of the broader Parque das Baleias project and features technologies aimed at reducing emissions and improving operational efficiency, including a reduction of about 24% in operational emissions of greenhouse gases.

In summary, the Cachalote oil field is a significant contributor to Brazil's oil production, operated by Petrobras, and utilizes advanced FPSO technology to manage its production efficiently.