Petrobras’ platform Cidade de Mangaratiba went into operation in the Santos Basin presalt area of Iracema Sul, in Lula field, located on block BM-S-11, according to a press release.

The Cidade de Mangaratiba is an FPSO unit, and it was contracted in September 2011 from the Schahin-Modec consortium. The hull of the FPSO vessel was converted at the Cosco shipyard in Dalian, China, and the integration of the process plant modules took place at the BrasFels shipyard in Angra do Reis, Rio de Janeiro.

The platform, which is set up at a depth of 2,200 m (7,218 ft) about 240 km (149 miles) off the coast, will have the capacity to process up to 150 Mbbl/d of oil and 8 MMcm/d (282.5 MMcf/d) of gas, in addition to storing 1.6 MMbbl of oil. Well 4-RJS-647, the first to be connected to the FPSO unit, has a production potential of more than 30 Mbbl/d. The oil produced at the Iracema Sul area is of high quality and of medium density (30ºAPI) and will be transported by shuttle tankers.

The Santos Basin Integrated Gas Distribution Network will distribute the portion of the gas that is not used for reinjection in the field. FPSO unit Cidade de Mangaratiba will be connected to eight production wells and eight injection ones over the coming months. Production is expected to peak in the first half of 2016.

Concession BM-S-11 is operated by Petrobras (65%), in partnership with BG E&P Brasil Ltda (25%) and Petrogal Brasil S.A. (10%).