Petrobras has begun production at the Iracema Norte development, in the Lula field of the pre-salt Santos basin, just less than 30 days after the FPSO Cidade de Itaguaí arrived at the field, the Brazilian national confirmed on 31 July.
Cidade de Itaguaí, converted by MODEC in consortium with Schahin, measures 332m long, 31m high, and 58m wide, and weighs 82,000-tonne. The FPSO is capable of processing 150,000 bo/d, 280 MMscf/d of gas. It is capable of storing of 1.6 MMbbl of total fluids, and injecting 264,000 b/d of water.
Petrobras says the 7-LL-36A-RJS well, the first to be connected to the platform, has a daily production potential of 32,000 bbl. The oil produced in the Iracema Norte area is high quality and of medium density (30º API). The Cidade de Itaguaí FPSO will be connected to eight producing wells and nine injection wells. Petrobras expects to achieve peak production of 150,000 bo/d by early 2017.
Anchored 240km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, the Cidade de Itaguaí sits in approximately 2220m water depth. This is the second leased FPSO deployed on the Iracema development and will double the gross production capacity to 300,000 b/d and 16 MMcm/d of natural gas from the area.
Petrobras operates the BM-S-11 concession, which includes the Iracema Norte area, with a 65% interest. Its partners include BG E&P Brasil (25%) and Petrogal Brasil (10%).
Investment firm Simmons & Co. said in a report on 3 August that the Iracema Norte project was originally expected to be completed in 4Q 2015, but was completed ahead of schedule. Further, the firm said that FPSOs 1-5 have 22 wells producing at an average rate of 25,000 boe/d, while 15 wells have been pre-drilled for FPSO 6-9. There are three additional FPSOs that are in the integration process and expect to see first oil in 2016, Simmons & Co. said. The firm puts the Lula Alto development (Petrobras 65%, BG 25%) at a 1Q 2016 start, followed by Lula Central in 2Q, and Lapa in 4Q 2016.
Image: Petrobras News Agency
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