Papa Terra Field, Brazil

Papa Terra field is a heavy crude oil field located in block BC-20 of the Campos Basin. The field lies at a water depth of 1,190m, 110km offshore Brazil. Petrobras operates the field with 62.5% interest. The remaining 37.5% interest is held by Chevron.

High viscosity and low API were the key factors hindering the development of the field. The partners made the final investment decision in January 2010 and will invest $5.2bn on the field development. First production is expected in 2013.

Papa Terra field discovery and reserves

The Papa Terra field was discovered in 2003 with the drilling of five wells. The field was declared commercial in 2005.

The field is estimated to contain 700 million to a billion barrels of oil equivalent. The crude oil has an API index ranging between 14° and 17°. About 380 million barrels of oil is expected to be recovered from the field.

Field development

The field will be developed using 29 bore wells including 16 wet completion wells and 13 dry production wells. The wet completion wells will include six horizontal producers and ten water injectors.

The heavy oil production wells will be connected to a tension leg wellhead platform (TLWP) called P-61. The light oil production wells will be connected to a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel called P-63.

P-61 tension leg wellhead platform (TLWP)

The P-61 TLWP was designed by FloaTEC and will be installed in 1,180m of water. The platform will include a dry tree, top tensioned risers and a tender assist drilling rig moored nearby.

It will support all the well drilling and workover activities as well as export the production to the P-63 FPSO.

P-63 floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO)

The BW Nisa vessel will be converted into the P-63 FPSO for use at the Papa Terra field. The vessel is 334m-long and width 57.3m wide. It has a capacity of 323,000dwt and will be installed at a depth of 1,200m.

Conversion of the vessel will include installation of 16 topside facilities weighing 14,000mt. The units to be installed include three oil processing units, a gas compression unit, three power generations systems and two manifold modules. A flare unit, utilities facilities and two water treatment and injection units will also be installed.

The topside modules will process 140,000 barrels a day (bpd) of oil and 35 million standard cubic feet a day of gas. Seawater injection capacity of the FPSO will be 340,000bpd.

Contracts

FloaTEC Singapore, an equal partnership company established by Keppel FELS and J Ray McDermott, will build the wellhead platform under a $1bn contract signed in October 2009. Keppel and J Ray McDermott will carry out design, engineering, construction, installation and three year operation of the platform. FloaTEC will provide basic engineering services and supply risers, tendons and other equipment for the platform.

A consortium of BW Offshore, QUIP and QGOG was awarded the contract for constructing the P-63 FPSO in February 2010. BW Offshore will provide conversion services for the hull, offloading units and mooring systems. QGOG and BW Offshore will operate the FPSO for three years and later handover the vessel to Petrobras. QUIP will be responsible for the topsides of the FPSO.

BW Offshore subcontracted Inocean to prepare the technical drawings and documentation for class approval of the FPSO, and in February 2010, AMEC was contracted to provide engineering services for the topsides of the FPSO.

Wärtsilä was awarded a contract to supply three power modules for the FPSO in May 2010. The modules will include two 18-cylinder 50DF tri-fuel engines, alternators and other ancillary equipment. The modules are expected to be installed in July 2011.

Veolia Water won a contract to supply a water treatment unit for the FPSO in August 2010.

The treatment module will be used to separate sulphates and other chemicals from the injected water to improve oil recovery.

In October 2010, Dril-Quip won a $28m contract to provide subsea wellhead systems for the field. Deliveries are expected take place between 2011 and first quarter of 2013.

Technip won a contract to supply 27km of risers, flowlines and an electrical module for the FPSO in October 2010. Deliveries are scheduled between the first and last quarters of 2012.

Classification society ABS will class both the TLWP and FPSO. ABS will review the design of the FPSO, hull, mooring systems, production and other equipment to ensure that they comply with the relevant standards.