Iracema Sul Field, Santos Basin

Iracema Sul (formerly Cernambi Sul) field is located in Block BM-S-11, around 300km offshore Rio de Janeiro, in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin. The water depth at the field is approximately 2,300m.

Petrobras, the operator of Block BM-S-11, holds 65% interest in the field, while the remaining interest in the field is owned by BG E&P Brasil (25%) and Petrogal Brasil (10%). The block also accommodates the giant Lula (formerly Tupi) field and the Iracema Norte field.

Incorporating the Cidade de Mangaratiba floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in its development, the Iracema Sul field started production in October 2014. The FPSO will be chartered by Petrobras and its partners for 20 years.

Discovery and geology

Iracema Sul field was discovered in 2009. The drilling of the 4-RJS-647 / 4-BRSA-711-RJS appraisal well to its targeted depth of 5,000m below the seabed was completed in September 2009. The well encountered a light oil bearing reservoir.

Two drill stem tests (DSTs) on the well were completed in November 2009, recording initial flow rates of 10,500bpd and 17 million standard cubic feet per day of gas.

Production from Iracema Sul

The 4-RJS-647 production well, the first to be connected to the FPSO, is estimated to produce more than 30,000bpd. A total of eight production wells and eight injection wells are subsequently expected to be connected to the FPSO. Production is expected to peak in the first half of 2016.

High-quality oil produced from the field has an API gravity level of 30°. The non-reinjected gas from the field is transferred to shore through the Santos Basin pipeline system.

Cidade de Mangaratiba FPSO

The Cidade de Mangaratiba FPSO was converted from the very large crude carrier (VLCC) Sunrise J. The vessel is capable of accommodating a total of 55 flexible risers and umbilicals, as well as 15 steel risers. It provides accommodation facilities for 150 people and features a helideck, a flare tower and waste heat recovery units.

The FPSO has a processing capacity of 150,000bpd and 283 million standard cubic feet per day of gas, and a total fluid storage capacity of 1.6 million barrels. It also has a water injection capacity of 240,000bpd. The deadweight of the FPSO is 300,000t.

Contractors involved

Modec (25%) co-owns and operates the Cidade de Mangaratiba FPSO in partnership with Schahin (15%). The other investors in the FPSO are Mitsui & Co (27.5%), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (17.5%) and Marubeni Corporation (15%).

The design, procurement, manufacturing and installation contract for the topsides modules was awarded to MODEC and TOYO Offshore Production Systems (MTOPS), while the $200m contract for fabrication and integration was awarded to Keppel FELS Brasil, a subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) in July 2012.

The structural design of the FPSO was performed by Viking Systems. The ABS-class spread mooring anchoring system for the FPSO was designed and supplied by Sofec.

The seawater treatment system and sulphate removal module for the FPSO were provided by Aker Solutions. The company subcontracted Radix to design the sulphate removal module.

The oil separation and treatment system of the FPSO, comprising a free water separator, a test separator, a first-stage flash vessel, a first-stage electrostatic coalescer, a second-stage flash vessel and a second-stage electrostatic coalesce, was supplied by Frames.

Barred tees for the FPSO were provided by Roc-Master, fire-protection valves by Bermad and a separator train was manufactured by EBSE.

The engineering, procurement, fabrication and installation of the offshore pipelines and related pipeline end terminations (PLETs) for the project was performed by Saipem. The installation works were performed using the Saipem FDS 2 pipelayer vessel.

Up to 250km of flexible pipes for oil production, gas lift, water and gas injection, and related equipment were supplied by Technip, under a contract awarded in June 2013.