Sepia Leste

Sepia Leste Oil Project Profile

Location and Geology

The Sepia Leste oil field is located in the ultra-deep waters of the Santos Basin, approximately 250km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is situated in the pre-salt layer of the basin, at water depths of up to 2,200 meters.

Ownership and Operation

The Sepia Leste field is part of Block BM-S-24, which is jointly owned by Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) with an 80% stake, and Petrogal Brasil, a subsidiary of Galp Energia, with a 20% stake. However, under the Production Individualization Agreement (PIA) and the Transfer of Rights, Petrobras became the 100% owner of the Sepia field, including Sepia Leste.

Commerciality and Development

The commerciality of the Sepia Leste field was declared by Petrobras in November 2015. The field is developed in conjunction with the Sepia field under a single project, unitized through a PIA between Petrobras and Petrogal Brasil.

Reservoir and Hydrocarbon Quality

The Sepia Leste field features a reservoir with excellent porosity and permeability, containing good-quality oil with an API gravity of approximately 26º. This indicates a light to medium crude oil.

Reserves and Resources

The Sepia Leste field is estimated to hold a total recoverable volume of 130 million barrels of oil equivalent (boe). This is part of the combined reserves of the Sepia and Sepia Leste fields.

Production System

The production system for the Sepia Leste field involves the use of the Carioca MV30 FPSO (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading) vessel. Here are some key details about the FPSO:

• Processing Capacity: The FPSO can process 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day, 212 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, and 240,000 barrels of water injection per day.
• Storage Capacity: The FPSO has a storage capacity of 1.4 million barrels of crude oil.
• Power Generation: The FPSO is equipped with four SGT-A35 aero derivative gas turbine power generation systems and two SGT-A35-driven DATUM CO2 compressor units from Siemens.
• Mooring System: The FPSO is moored using a spread mooring system designed and supplied by SOFEC, a subsidiary of MODEC.

Early Production and Testing

An early production system was installed at the Sepia field in March 2016 using the Cidade de São Vicente FPSO. This system tested the reservoir behavior and oil flow, yielding approximately 20,000 barrels of oil per day. The data from this test was crucial for the final production system design.

Full Production

Full production from the Sepia Leste field commenced in August 2021, with the Carioca MV30 FPSO being deployed for operations. The field is developed with a total of 15 wells planned, with the first phase involving the sub-sea tie-back of seven riser wells (three producer wells and four injector wells).

Contractors and Financing

• MODEC: Responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and operation of the Carioca MV30 FPSO, including the topsides, hull, and marine systems.
• SOFEC: Designed and supplied the spread mooring system for the FPSO.
• Siemens: Supplied the SGT-A35 gas turbines and DATUM CO2 compressor units.
• McDermott International: Awarded the contract for the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) of the subsea risers and flow lines for the initial seven wells.

The construction of the Carioca MV30 FPSO is financed by a consortium including MODEC, Mitsui, Mitsui OSK Lines, Marubeni Corporation, and Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding, under a 21-year charter agreement signed in October 2017.

Economic and Operational Aspects

The project involves complex economic arrangements, including a co-participation agreement that allocates production, capital costs, and operational costs between Petrobras and other partners (TotalEnergies, Petronas, and QatarEnergy) for the surplus volumes above the 500 million boe awarded to Petrobras under the original Transfer of Rights agreement.

The Sepia Leste field is part of Brazil's significant pre-salt oil and gas discoveries, contributing to the country's energy production and economic growth.