Oeste de Atapu

Oeste de Atapu Oil and Gas Field Profile

Location

The Oeste de Atapu Oil and Gas Field is located in the Santos Basin, offshore Brazil, specifically in the pre-salt area of the basin. It is part of the Iara complex, situated approximately 200km offshore from Rio de Janeiro.

Ownership and Operation

The field is operated by Petrobras, with the following ownership structure:

• Petrobras: 42.5%
• Shell Brasil: 25.0%
• Total E&P do Brasil (TotalEnergies): 22.5%
• Petrogal Brasil: 10.0%.

Project Details

• Discovery and Production: The exact discovery year is not specified, but production started as part of the broader Iara complex developments. The first oil from the Atapu field, which includes Oeste de Atapu, was achieved in June 2020.
• Field Status: The field is currently operating, with ongoing development phases.

Production

• Oil Production: As of 2020, the field produced 3.17 million barrels of oil per year, which increased to 8.97 million barrels per year by 2022.
• Gas Production: Gas production was 112.06 million cubic meters per year in 2020, increasing to 325.11 million cubic meters per year by 2022.

Infrastructure and Development

• FPSO Platforms: The production is supported by the P-70 FPSO platform, which was installed in the Block BM-S-11A licence area. This platform has a processing capacity of up to 150,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and can treat up to six million cubic meters of natural gas. It also has a storage capacity of 1.6 million barrels.
• Future Development: The second phase of the Atapu field, which includes Oeste de Atapu, involves the installation of a new FPSO, P-84. This FPSO will have a production capacity of 225,000 bopd and a gas processing capacity of 10 million cubic meters per day. It will incorporate advanced technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30%, including zero routine flaring and venting, and carbon capture systems. Construction of the P-84 FPSO is expected to start in the first quarter of 2025, with delivery anticipated in 2029.

Shared Deposit and Unitisation

• The Oeste de Atapu field is part of a shared deposit that includes the Atapu field and a portion of the federal government’s non-contracted area. This shared deposit is being developed under a production individualisation agreement approved in August 2019. The unitised area includes 18% of the volumes allocated to Oeste de Atapu.

Contractors and Services

• General Contractors: COOEC was the general contractor for the development of the P-70 FPSO, built at their Qingdao yard in China. Boskalis performed the dry transportation of the FPSO.
• Future Contracts: For the second phase, SLB OneSubsea will supply subsea production systems, including pre-salt vertical trees, subsea control and distribution systems, and pipeline systems. Seatrium has secured a contract to supply the new FPSO platform P-84.

Environmental and Efficiency Measures

• The second phase of the project, Atapu-2, will focus on reducing environmental impact. The new FPSO will operate on electricity, incorporate closed flare systems, cargo oil tank recovery, waste heat recovery, and variable speed drives for pumps and compressors to achieve a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emission intensity.

Geology and Reservoir Details

• The field is located in ultra-deepwater, with water depths exceeding 2,000 meters. The reservoirs are part of the pre-salt layer in the Santos Basin, known for its significant hydrocarbon reserves.

Production Mechanism

• Production is facilitated through water injection, with part of the produced gas, rich in carbon dioxide, being reinjected. Oil is transported via offloading through shuttle tankers with a Dynamic Positioning (DP) system, and gas is transported through the Route 3 Gas Pipeline as part of the Santos Basin Pre-Salt Pole Integrated Flow System (PPSBS).