Qatarenergy announces hydrocarbon discovery in Brazil’s Sépia field

QatarEnergy announced an oil discovery in the 4-BRSA-1386D-RJS well in Brazil’s world class Sépia oil field, which is located in the prolific Santos Basin in water depths of about 2,000 meters off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

QatarEnergy acquired a working interest in the Sépia Co-Participated Area in December 2021 during the 2nd Transfer-of-Rights Surplus Bidding Round, which was organized and managed by Brazil’s National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP). The Area is operated by Petrobras (with a participating interest of about 52%) in partnership with TotalEnergies (19.2%), QatarEnergy (14.4%) and Petronas Petróleo Brasil Ltda (14.4%), with Pre Sal Petróleo S.A. (PPSA) as manager. The Sepia shared reservoir is currently producing about 170,000 barrels of oil per day.

Commenting on this occasion, His Excellency Mr. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said: “We are encouraged by this discovery, which comes as a result of strategic cooperation with reputable partners in our effort to unlock more global energy resources as part of our comprehensive growth strategy. On this occasion, I would like to congratulate our partners, and l look forward to more future achievements.”

The discovery is significant in that the well penetrated a net oil column, which is one of the thickest ever encountered in Brazil. Partners will continue operations to characterize the conditions of the discovered reservoirs and verify the extent of the discovery by conducting well tests.

Subsea7 awarded contract offshore Trinidad and Tobago

Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) announced today the award of a contract to Subsea Integration Alliance to support the development of bp’s Cypre project, a gas development located offshore Trinidad and Tobago. Subsea7’s scope of the awarded Subsea Integration Alliance contract is substantial2.

Subsea7’s scope covers the concept and design, engineering, procurement, construction and installation of a two-phase liquid natural gas tieback to the Juniper platform through dual flexible flowlines and a manifold gathering system, along with topside upgrades.

Design, engineering, and project management will commence immediately at Subsea7’s offices in the USA, with offshore installation planned for 2024.

Craig Broussard, Vice President for Subsea7 US, said: “We have been working closely with bp and our suppliers at the earliest possible stage to help develop and deliver an integrated SPS and SURF solution that optimises cost and efficiency, to accelerate first gas.”

Olivier Blaringhem, CEO for Subsea Integration Alliance said: ”bp’s Cypre project is a prime example of our ability to harness the key strengths of Subsea Integration Alliance; Subsea7 with its expertise in executing complex EPCI projects, and OneSubsea’s fast-track distribution of subsea production systems. Combined, we are delivering a refined solution which enables early first gas.”

First power from Hywind Tampen

Power production from the first turbine in the floating wind farm Hywind Tampen in the North Sea started at 12:55 CET on 13 November. The power was delivered to the Gullfaks A platform in the North Sea.

“I am proud that we have now started production at Hywind Tampen, Norway’s first and the world’s largest floating wind farm. This is a unique project, the first wind farm in the world powering producing oil and gas installations,” says Geir Tungesvik, Equinor’s executive vice president for Projects, Drilling and Procurement.

Owned by the Gullfaks and Snorre partners, the Hywind Tampen wind farm is expected to meet about 35 percent of the electricity demand of the two fields. This will cut CO2 emissions from the fields by about 200,000 tonnes per year.

“The Norwegian content of the project is about 60 percent. This shows that we, together with our partners and suppliers, are building a new industry on the shoulders of the oil and gas business utilizing the competencies we together have acquired over many decades,” says Tungesvik.

Seven of eleven turbines are scheduled to come on stream during the year. The last four turbines have been assembled this autumn and will be installed on the field during a weather window next year. Even with just seven turbines on stream Hywind Tampen will be the world’s largest floating wind farm with a capacity of 60 MW.

Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for Exploration and Production Norway.
(Photo: Arne Reidar Mortensen / Equinor ASA)

With its world-class wind resources, the North Sea will continue to play a key role also in the energy transition and for the energy security of Europe and Norway. Hywind Tampen represents a first step towards developing a new industry within offshore wind in Norway, contributing to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy supplies.

“Hywind Tampen cuts emissions from the oil and gas industry and increases the gas export to Europe. This is an important contribution towards transforming the Norwegian continental shelf from an oil and gas province to a broad energy province. Just a few years ago, no one would have believed that offshore platforms could be powered by electricity from floating wind turbines. Well, now we have started,” says Kjetil Hove, Equinor’s executive vice president for Exploration and Production Norway.

Facts about Hywind Tampen

• Partners: Equinor, Petoro, OMV, Vår Energi, Wintershall Dea and INPEX Idemitsu
• Hywind Tampen has a system capacity of 88 MW
• The wind farm is located some 140 kilometres from shore
• Water depth: between 260 and 300 metres
• The turbines are installed on a floating concrete structure with a joint mooring system
• Enova and the Business Sector’s NoX Fund have supported the project by NOK 2.3 billion and NOK 566 million respectively to stimulate technology development within offshore wind and emission reductions

Peregrino phase 2 on stream

On 10 October at 20:00 local time, the new platform in Brazil, Peregrino C, produced its very first oil.

Peregrino phase 2 will extend the Peregrino field life to 2040. Phase 2 adds 250-300 million barrels of oil, while at the same time halving expected CO2 emissions per barrel over the field remaining lifetime.

“I am thrilled that we have started production from the new Peregrino C platform. Covid-19 has made Peregrino phase 2 a challenging project, and I want to thank everyone involved for delivering the project with excellent HSE results,” says Geir Tungesvik, Equinor’s executive vice president for Projects, Drilling & Procurement.

Peregrino phase 2 consists of a new platform with drilling facilities and living quarters tied in to the existing Peregrino FPSO, as well as a new pipeline importing gas to the platform for power generation.

In operation the new platform will provide 350 long-term jobs offshore and onshore in Brazil.

The project was on schedule for planned start-up late in 2020 when Covid-19 hit the project hard, leading to cuts in the workforce several times in the crucial and normally labor-intensive hook-up phase. Still, Peregrino phase 2 is delivered within the original USD 3 billion cost estimate.


In line with Equinor’s low carbon strategy, measures have been taken to reduce CO2 emissions from the Peregrino field. By switching from diesel to gas for power generation on Peregrino C, phase 2 will avoid 100,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions from the Peregrino field per year.

This will also reduce costs and simplify logistics in the operational phase.

“The start-up of Peregrino Phase 2 is an important milestone in Equinor’s growth strategy in Brazil. This project showcases how we can bring valuable new resources onto production at the same time as investing in technology to cut carbon emissions. I am proud that Peregrino Phase 2 will increase field production to 110,000 barrels per day at plateau whilst halving our emissions intensity,” says Al Cook, Equinor’s executive vice president for Exploration & Production International.

The new platform is also equipped with the latest digital tools, like a 3D model of the entire platform that operators can use on an iPad in the field. This improves cooperation offshore and between the platform and the onshore operational support team in Rio de Janeiro.

New digital solutions will also contribute to optimized production, reducing energy usage and thereby CO2 emissions.

Facts

• Located in the Campos Basin, the Peregrino field started production in 2011.
• Equinor is the operator (60%), with Sinochem (40%) as partner in the field.
• Peregrino Phase 1 consists of a floating production vessel (FPSO) supported by two wellhead platforms: Peregrino A and Peregrino B.
• Peregrino is the largest field operated by Equinor outside Norway and the first of a series of major field developments in Brazil.
• The Peregrino field has so far produced more than 210 million barrels of oil since the field came on stream in 2011.

Maximising economic recovery in the UK’s Southern North Sea for Shell and Hartshead Resources Sea for Shell and Hartshead Resources

Petrofac, a leading provider of services to the global energy industry, has been selected by Hartshead Resources to conduct an engineering study to define its Phase I offtake route from their Somerville and Anning gas fields.

The study aims to define an efficient and fast route to increase the UK’s energy security by making the most of Shell’s existing infrastructure in the Southern North Sea. It will provide a basis for the design and cost estimate, and the brownfield modifications needed, to tie-in Hartshead’s proposed new facilities to Shell’s Corvette and Leman A platforms. From there the gas will be transported to Bacton for onshore processing and delivery to the UK’s transmission system.

Hartshead plans to take a Final Investment Decision (FID) on the development, including new platforms, in 2023 and aims to achieve first gas in late 2024.

Nick Shorten, Chief Operating Officer for Petrofac’s Asset Solutions business said:
“It’s great to see Petrofac’s considerable engineering expertise helping to maximise economic recovery. Using Shell’s existing infrastructure to tap into Hartshead’s gas fields will efficiently help support the UK’s energy security at this critical time.”

The scope of Petrofac’s study includes offshore construction support for the subsea pipeline tie-in activities on the Corvette to Leman Alpha export pipeline, communication connections, pipework for system control and export route options and control room integration.