Sapinhoá

Sapinhoá Oil and Gas Field Profile

Location and Geology

• The Sapinhoá oil and gas field is located in the Santos Basin, approximately 310 kilometers (190 miles) off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is situated in block BM-S-9 at a water depth of about 2,153 meters (7,065 feet).
• The field is part of the pre-salt region, which spans 800 kilometers along Brazil’s coast and contains significant deposits beneath a layer of salt. These deposits are about 3,000 meters under the ocean surface and another 3,000 to 5,000 meters under the seabed.

Discovery and Development

• The Sapinhoá field was discovered in June 2008, initially known as the Guará field. The discovery was made by Petrobras, the main operator of the field.
• The field development involves a consortium consisting of Petrobras (45%), BG Group (30%), and Repsol-Sinopec (25%).

Production

• The field started producing oil in January 2013. It is known for producing high-quality, medium-density oil (30° API) and significant volumes of natural gas.
• The production is facilitated by two Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading (FPSO) vessels:
  • Cidade de São Paulo MV23 FPSO: This FPSO has a capacity to process 120,000 barrels of oil per day and 176 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. It also has an oil storage capacity of 1.6 million barrels.
  • Cidade de Ilhabela FPSO: This FPSO has a production capacity of 150,000 barrels of oil per day and 212 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.

Reserves

• The estimated reserves of the Sapinhoá field range from 1.1 billion to 2 billion barrels of oil and significant volumes of natural gas. Specifically, the original oil in place is estimated at around 3.311 million barrels, with recoverable reserves of approximately 1.675 million barrels. For gas, the original volume in place is about 99,307 million cubic meters, with recoverable reserves of around 42,500 million cubic meters.

Infrastructure and Technology

• The development of the field involved complex technologies due to the type and petrophysical features of the reservoir rocks, which include alternating microbialites and volcaniclastics.
• The Stena DrillMAX I drilling rig was leased for four years to drill the Sapinhoá field. This rig features a dynamic positioning system and can operate at depths of about 10,000 feet of water.
• The FPSOs are connected to multiple production and injection wells. For example, the Cidade de São Paulo MV23 FPSO is connected to nine production wells and seven injection wells.

Contractors and Contracts

• Several contractors have been involved in the development of the Sapinhoá field:
  • MODEC, Mitsui, and Mitsubishi: Responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction, mobilization, and operation of the FPSOs.
  • Technip: Supplied gas injection flexible lines and other flexible pipes for oil production, gas lift, and gas injection.
  • Saipem: Handled the transportation, installation, and pre-commissioning of gas export pipelines and related subsea equipment.
  • Subsea 7: Managed the project, engineering, and installation of flowlines and umbilicals.
  • Keppel FELS: Fabricated the topsides of the FPSO.

Production and Export

• The gas produced from the field, which is not used for reinjection, is transferred through the Lula-Sapinhoá-Mexilhão pipeline to the Monteiro Lobato Gas Treatment Unit (UTGCA) located in Caraguatatuba.
• The oil and gas production from Sapinhoá contributes significantly to Brazil's total oil output, with the field and other pre-salt fields like Tupi accounting for over 40% of Brazil's total oil production in recent years.

Current Status and Future Outlook

• The Sapinhoá field, along with other mature pre-salt fields like Tupi and Iracema, has entered its decline phase. However, significant volumes and value can still be recovered. Future performance scenarios suggest that additional infill drilling campaigns could recover substantial amounts of oil, potentially up to 1.6 billion barrels.
• The field's performance has been class-leading, with high initial production rates and impressive net recoveries, making it one of the most productive offshore fields globally.