The Roncador field has been one of Petrobras’ most pioneering ultra-deepwater developments since its discovery in 1996 but the operator is being pushed hard by industry regulator ANP (National Petroleum Agency) to invest at least a further US $1 Bn to ramp up production, including potentially adding further floating production facilities in addition to those already planned.
The oil and gas field in the Campos Basin lies 125 km offshore in water depths ranging from 1,500-1,900 m (4,921-6,234 ft), and is being developed in multiple phases. With proven recoverable reserves estimated at more than 3 Bn boe, the phased ‘Modular’ approach has seen Module 1 producing 28-31° API oil, while Module 2 is producing oil of 18° API.
Module 3 is due onstream later this year and will produce 22° API crude, while Module 4 will produce 18° API oil starting in 2014.
However, this progress appears not to be enough for the ANP, which is exerting substantial pressure on the operator to bring onstream future development modules more quickly. It is also exerting pressure on the operator to improve its activities in relation to enhancing existing production levels from the already-producing facilities, with the ANP saying the operator could be doing more in terms of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, and the utilisation of additional floating production units in existing module areas.
Discussions on future modules for Roncador are continuing, with the ANP wanting Petrobras to raise its investments. According to the ANP, there are at least 10 ‘items’ that should warrant more than $1 Bn of additional investment, although DI hears Petrobras is not in agreement with some of these requirements. As a result final capital expenditure plans for Roncador’s future phases are still under discussion.
The ANP’s general director, Magda Chambriard, confirmed in March that Petrobras had appealed against some of the requirements set out by the agency: “ANP is analysing (Petrobras’ arguments). But I don’t think so far there is much to be reviewed”, she said.
According to the regulator, Petrobras is not producing some of its older oil fields to their maximum potential, and has given the operator until the end of this year to fulfill the requirements on Roncador, for example.
These requirements include extra platforms on the field: “There is a clear need for more platforms than the four planned,” it has stated. Some of the items are already planned by Petrobras but the ANP wants Petrobras to undertake more.
Other demands include the drilling of a series of further appraisal, development and production wells in 2013/14 investigating or better exploiting various target play types, in areas such as the Alto and Baixo blocks in the Roncador field area. It also wants to see Petrobras increase water injection volumes in the Baixo block to further improve overall production levels, requiring that the operator drills these injection wells by December 2014.
The ANP also wants Petrobras to keep the chartered floating production unit FPSO Brasil on site for an extended period of time “since there is a clear need for platforms than the four currently planned for Roncador,” it stated. The FPSO was installed as a temporary production fix in Module 1A ‘Phase One’ following the sinking in March 2001 of the P-36 semisub production platform originally installed in 2000 on the field in Module 1. Eight production wells are connected to the FPSO Brasil, moored in 1,290 m (4,230 ft) of water, which started producing in December 2002.
The regulator is also keen to see a study presented by the end of this year on the potential installation of an additional production unit on Roncador field, to further maximise production, as well as the installation of a new gas-lift manifold to maximise production to the P-52 platform by December 2014.
In September Petrobras is expected to bring Module III onstream, when the semisub P-55 platform begins production via 17 wells at a rate of 180,000 b/d of oil and 6 MMcm/d of gas. It is forecast to hit its production peak in April 2015. The platform is currently nearly 90% complete, with a planned local content requirement of 65%.
First oil from Module IV is expected to flow in March 2014. This will see the drilling, completion and interconnection of 17 wells to the P-62 FPSO, with a production capacity of 180,000 b/d of oil and 6 MMcm/d of gas. Production is forecast to hit its peak level in June 2015, with a planned field life of at least 25 years.
Work on the P-62 at the Estaleiro Atlântico Sul (AES) yard in Pernambuco is currently 88.4% complete, well ahead of the scheduled percentage at this time of 70.5%. The unit will eventually sit in a water depth of 1,600 m (5,250 ft).
The speed of this module was enhanced by Petrobras’ decision to essentially clone its P-54 FPSO, employed on Module 2.
Roncador first began producing at around 20,000 b/d in an Early Production Phase of Module I in January 1999, via the FPSO Seillean. Module 1A, ‘Phase Two’ following on from the FPSO Brasil included fabrication and installation of the P-52 semisub platform. This is connected to 18 subsea production wells and 11 water injection wells. The facility began producing in 2007, hitting rates of up to 180,000 b/d in 2008, with gas production of up to 3.2 MMcm/d.
Module 2 saw 17 (11 for production, six for water injection) connected to the P-54 FPSO, which began producing in late 2007 and which also has production capacities of 180,000 b/d for oil and 6 MMcm/d for gas.
- Roncador is the first of 10 exploratory areas that will have their development plans similarly reviewed by the ANP.
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