Petrobras starts-up production of Sapinhoá Norte in pre-salt of Santos basin
RIO DE JANEIRO -- Petrobras announces that FPSO Cidade de São Vicente went on stream last Tuesday, February 12, kicking off production of the Sapinhoá Norte Early Production System (SPA), through exploratory well 3-BRSA-788-SPS (3-SPS-69), located in block BM-S-9, in the pre-salt of Santos basin.
Production will be around 15,000 bopd, due to gas utilization limitations and will be extended for a maximum period of six months. The platform is anchored at a water depth of 2,140 m, 310 km off the coast and the produced oil of medium density (30º API) and high quality, will be transported via relief tankers.
The Sapinhoá Field Development Plan lays out two permanent systems composed of FPSOs Cidade de São Paulo, in production since January 5, 2013 and Cidade de Ilhabela, whose hull is in China and production plant modules are under construction in Brazil. This platform, which has a production capacity of 150,000 bopd and 6,000,000 cu m of gas, is expected to go on stream in the second half of 2014.
Sapinhoá field is one of Brazil's biggest oil fields, with estimated total recoverable volumes of 2.1 Bboe. Commercial production at the field began four and a half years after it was discovered in July 2008.
Block BM-S-9 is operated by Petrobras (45%), in partnership with BG E&P Brasil (30%) and Repsol Sinopec Brasil S.A. (25%).
02/18/2013