Caterpillar to power six Brazilian built drillships

APRIL 30, 2013 — Caterpillar Global Petroleum announced today it has been awarded a contract by Brazilian shipbuilder Estaleiro Enseada do Paraguaçu (EEP) to provide the diesel generator sets for the main and propulsion power, as well as the emergency power, for six drillships.

All six drillships are to be built at the EEP shipyard in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The drillships were ordered by Sete Brasil, which has charter contracts with Petrobras for these vessels.

Caterpillar 16CM32

The drillships are to be used in the Brazilian pre-salt ultra-deep layers drilling program; after construction, the rigs will be chartered by Petrobras for 15 years and will be operated by the drilling contractors Odebrecht Oil & Gas and Etesco.

Each of the six drillships will be powered by six 16CM32 main diesel generator sets and the emergency power will be provided by 1 x 3516B generator set.

Antti Ekqvist, Caterpillar global business development manager for offshore oil and gas commented, “We are pleased to be selected as the preferred power solutions provider by EEP for these new drillships. Our significant footprint in Brazil enables Caterpillar to not only package, test and assemble its power solutions, but also provide through our dealer, Sotreq S. A., superior product support and service during the operational lifetime of the vessels.”

Caterpillar notes that drillships operating in deep and ultra-deep layers face challenging operational conditions and says the CM32C generator sets provide the reliability, durability, efficiency, and performance required to meet these challenging operational conditions. The generator sets meet IMO Tier II emissions standards. Additionally, the CM32 generator sets feature a well thought-out complete package solution to enhance ease of installation and reduce complexity and will also satisfy local content requirements.

The 16CM32 generator sets will be packaged and tested at the Caterpillar facility in Piracicaba, Brazil, to meet local content standards. Caterpillar’s investment in the Piracicaba facility enables the world’s leading power solutions provider to offer a wide range of main power, auxiliary, and emergency generator sets to meet the Brazilian national content needs of the fast growing Brazilian offshore oil and gas industry.