Ostra

Ostra Oil and Gas Field Profile

Location

The Ostra Oil and Gas Field is located in the Espírito Santo state, Brazil, specifically within the northern Campos Basin, approximately 110 km offshore[3,.

Coordinates

The exact coordinates of the field are -21.214, -39.661 (WGS 84).

Project Overview

The Ostra field is part of the larger Parque das Conchas (BC-10) project, which includes five fields: Ostra, Abalone, Argonauta B-West, Argonauta O-North, and Nautilus. The project is operated by Shell Brasil Petróleo Ltda..

Ownership

The ownership of the Ostra field is shared among:

• Shell Brasil: 50.0%
• ONGC Campos: 27.0%
• Qatarenergy: 23.0%.

Discovery and Production

• Discovery Year: 2002
• Production Start Year: 2009
• The first discovery well was drilled in 2000, and the final discovery well in 2003. The fields were declared commercially viable in 2005 after extensive exploration and drilling of 13 wells.

Reserves

• Oil Reserves: Original oil in place is estimated at 438.4 million barrels.
• Gas Reserves: Original volume in place is estimated at 3,341.1 million cubic meters.

Production

• Cumulative Production:
  • Oil: 81.03 million barrels (as of 2015)
  • Gas: 935.98 million cubic meters (as of 2015).
• Current Production: The BC-10 project, which includes the Ostra field, has a peak production of over 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) per day in the first phase, and around 35,000 boe per day in the subsequent phases.

Development Phases

• Phase 1: Began production in July 2009, focusing on the Abalone, Ostra, and Argonauta B-West fields.
• Phase 2: Started production in October 2013, adding the Argonauta O-North field.
• Phase 3: Initiated in March 2016, involving the development of the Massa and Argonauta O-South fields.

Technologies and Infrastructure

• Drilling and Completion: Horizontal wells are used, with some wells drilled at angles to minimize dogleg severity. The reservoir at Ostra lies about 900 meters below the mudline.
• FPSO: The production is processed through a Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessel named Espírito Santo, which has a capacity to process 100,000 boe per day and store up to 1.4 million barrels of oil.
• Subsea System: The project employs advanced subsea technologies, including caisson separation, electric submersible pumps, slim risers, and high-power umbilicals. Gas and oil separation is performed subsea to minimize slugging and hydration risks.
• Flow Assurance: Hot oil circulation is used to flow the high-viscosity oil, and electrical umbilicals supply power to the deepwater pumping systems.

Environmental and Operational Considerations

• Gas Export: A gas export pipeline system is deployed, and natural gas produced during exploration is pumped back into the Ostra field to reduce flaring and CO2 emissions.

Partners and Contracts

• Operator: Shell Brasil Petróleo Ltda.
• Subsea System Contract: Awarded to FMC Technologies in 2006.
• FPSO: Built by SBM Offshore NV and operated by a joint venture between SBM Offshore and MISC.

The Ostra Oil and Gas Field is a significant component of Shell's operations in Brazil, showcasing advanced technological innovations and efficient production strategies in deepwater environments.