Marlim Oil Field, Campos Basin, Brazil

Marlim is located in the north-eastern part of Campos Basin, about 110km offshore Rio de Janeiro, in water depths ranging from 650m to 1,050m. The drilling plan envisages a total of 147 oil wells. Of these, over 95 have already been drilled and 55 are in operation (37 are oil producers and 18 are water injectors). Over 80km of rigid pipelines and 400km of flexible lines have been already laid on the field.

PRESENT INFRASTRUCTURE

At present, there are eight floating production units planned for helping with the development of the field (P-18, P-19, P-20, P-26, P-32, P-33, P-35 and P-37) and 132 oil wells are foreseen for the entire field development. In addition, 15 oil wells from other adjacent fields have been added to the development plan. Approximately 45 of the wells are horizontal.

MARLIM OIL FIELD DISCOVERY

Marlim was originally discovered by well 1-RJS-219-A in February 1985. The 75m column was predominantly unconsolidated sandstone, with a permeability as high as two darcies. The discovery also showed high-gravity oil (17-21 degree API). At the time of discovery, the Marlim reservoir had an oil-in-place volume of about 9 billion barrels and an expectated 1.7 billion barrels of oil in total reserves.

PILOT WELL

By 1990, the field area ranged between 650m and 1,050m, and covered 137km². A Pilot system was used, consisting of a semisubmersible unit with ten subsea production wells, for exporting through two monobouys to the shuttle tankers.

FIRST DEVELOPMENT PHASE

The first phase was divided into two modules. Module 1 was developed using the new-built semisubmersible P-18 and a former Petrobras VLCC Cairu, which was converted into P-32. Module 2 was comprised of 12 subsea production wells and seven subsea injection wells and was developed using the converted semisubmersible P-19.

SECOND DEVELOPMENT PHASE

The second phase, which started in June 1995, developed the southern and central areas (modules 3, 4 and 5).

MODULE 3

The module 3 development was based on 15 subsea production wells and ten injection wells, delivering at a rate of 100,000 barrels of oil/day and 3 million m³ of gas/day, tied back to the converted semisubmersible P-26. Oil was then transferred to the existing FPSO P-33, installed as part of module 2.

Built in Russia in 1984, under the name Illiad, the rig was transformed at the Astileros shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, into the P26 floating production system. Conversion works took nearly two years. Expansion and reinforcement of the original structures consumed over 5,000t of steel and over 300,000m of electric cable.

MODULE 4

The module 4 development is based on the Ore-Oil VLCC José Bonifácio, which was converted into the P-35 FPSO, by Hyundai Heavy Industries, in Korea. With a length of 337m, the P35 has a capacity to produce 100,000 barrels of oil/day and 3 million m³ of gas/day from 27 wells (19 subsea production wells and eight injection wells) located in two subsea manifolds, at water depths of 7,870m and 820m, respectively. It also has a storage capacity for two million barrels of oil.

The P-35 came on stream in May 1999.

MODULE 5

Module 5 required a larger FPU to develop a new reservoir that was found below the Marlim reservoir in the adjacent area, RJS-396. Petrobras converted another vessel, the Friendship, into the FPSO P-37. This has a process capability of 150,000 barrels of oil/day. It will be fed by four subsea manifolds, 20 production wells and 15 subsea injection wells. P-37 was converted in Singapore and arrived in mid 1999. It came onstream in December 1999.

INVESTMENT

The field represents a total investment of US$5 billion, over 15 years. Up to $3.2 billion have already been invested, while the remaining $1.8 billion will be invested until the year 2002.