Offshore Technology

SLB secures subsea contracts for Petrobras’ oilfield in Brazil

The contracts signify a strategic move towards the full electrification of Petrobras’ production systems at the oilfield.

SLB has secured three contracts from Brazil’s state-run oil company, Petrobras, to provide completion services for the Buzios Wave II oilfield offshore Brazil.

The contracts are for completion hardware and services for up to 35 subsea wells in the offshore oilfield.

SLB said the contracts signify a strategic move towards the full electrification of Petrobras’ production systems, aiming to enhance completion reliability and boost production.

Under the contracts, SLB will be responsible for advanced electric interval control valves and electric subsurface safety valves.

SLB production systems president Steve Gassen said: “By leveraging the electrification and digitalisation of completions from SLB, Petrobras will increase its field recovery efficiency in complex and challenging pre-salt reservoirs.

“This contract award represents a critical milestone on Petrobras’ journey to digitally integrated offshore electric production systems. It will improve efficiency and deploy innovative technologies in Brazil.”

SLB said the conversion to electric completions allows Petrobras to reliably control a more sophisticated system in the subsurface.

The complete electrification of completions is anticipated to optimise production control across various reservoir drains, potentially reducing the number of wells required and minimising extensive workovers throughout the lifespan of the Buzios field wells.

The technology due to be implemented in the Buzios field, and available to other operators in Brazilian pre-salt fields, was developed at the SLB Taubaté Engineering Centre in Brazil.

This technology was developed by SLB in collaboration with CENPES, the Petrobras research centre and TotalEnergies.

Earlier this year, Petrobras awarded a contract to Baker Hughes to provide integrated well construction services for the Buzios field.

The integrated services project encompasses a comprehensive suite of services including cementing, drilling, drill bits, fishing, fluids, geosciences, remedial tools, services, wellbore clean-up and wireline.