Production at Brazil’s Mero field is set to ramp up with the arrival of SBM Offshore’s FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão.
The FPSO, which has a production capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil (BOPD) per day and gas compression of 12mn cubic metres per day, left China for Brazil in December. It is scheduled to spend 22.5 years in the country according to the terms of a lease and operation contract with Petrobras signed in 2021. Alexandre de Gusmão will be the fifth FPSO unit operating at Mero, joining Pioneiro de Libra, Guanabara, Sepetiba, and Marechal Duque de Caxias. The addition of the new FPSO is expected to boost the field’s production capacity to 770,000 bopd.
The Mero field, located in ultra-deep waters (2,100 m) approximately 190 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin, reached the milestone of 500,000 barrels of oil produced daily on 28 February. Discovered in 2010, Mero is governed by the Libra Production Sharing Contract, operated by Petrobras (38.6%), in partnership with Shell Brasil (19.3%), TotalEnergies (19.3%), CNOOC (9.65%), CNPC (9.65%) and Pré-Sal Petróleo SA (PPSA) (3.5%), which, in addition to managing the contract, acts as the Union’s representative in the non-contracted area (3.5%). The pre-salt currently accounts for 81% of Petrobras’ total production.
"Since extracting its first oil, Mero’s production has been marked by technological advances, innovation and production records. The 500,000 barrels per day mark is the result of the work of several areas and the new technologies used in our projects and in our day-to-day operations. The company remains committed to operating sustainably, optimising production in existing fields and, in doing so, helping to provide the energy needed for the country’s development," said Magda Chambriard, CEO of Petrobras.
"Mero is the third largest field in Brazil and, in terms of volume of oil in place and production, is behind only Tupi and Búzios, also located in the Santos Basin pre-salt. And production will increase even further with the completion of the ramp-up of the FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias and the start-up of the FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão. We have invested heavily in technological development, which allows us to increase productivity while minimising greenhouse gas emissions, with safety and integrity of the facilities," said Sylvia Anjos, Petrobras’ Exploration and Production Director.
