Petrobras has postponed to February 1 the deadline to submit offers for the construction of at least one FPSO for the Búzios field, off Brazil’s southeast coast, the federal oil company told potential bidders last week. The previous date was January 18.
“We expect this postponement can assist bidders to finalize any outstanding issues. We also reinforce February 1, 2021 as the final date,” Petrobras said in a letter.
The contract is for engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) services for one or two production units (P-78 and P-79) for the pre-salt field in the Santos basin.
The minimum required local content requirement will be 25%, and the time given to deliver the platform is 1,645 days (approximately 4.5 years).
Each with capacity to produce up to 180,000b/d of oil, the P-78 and P-79 FPSOs are scheduled to come online in 2025.
They will be the eighth and ninth platforms installed in what is currently Brazil’s second largest producing field. In November 2020, the P-74, P-75, P-76 and P-77 produced 468,000b/d of oil and 19Mm3/d (million cubic meters a day) of natural gas, according to local watchdog ANP’s latest data.
And the Almirante Barroso (Búzios V) and Almirante Tamandaré (Búzios VI) are programmed to start operating in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
Petrobras is considering installing at least another three FPSOs in Búzios in the future.
The state-owned company’s 2021-25 strategic plan foresees the first oil from 13 FPSOs during the five years, including Búzios’ next four units. Two of them are scheduled to come online this year: Mero field’s Guanabara and Sépia’s Carioca.
Besides the P-78/79 tender, Petrobras is carrying out a competitive bidding process to charter the Integrado Parque das Baleias (ITB) FPSO and negotiating with SBM a lease for Almirante Tamandaré.
Currently under construction are the following FPSOs ordered by Petrobras: Guanabara, Carioca, Almirante Barroso, Anita Garibaldi (Marlim 1 field), Anna Nery (Marlim 2), Sepetiba (Mero 2) and Marechal Duque de Caxias (Mero 3).