Production starts from first FPSO in U.S. Gulf

Oil and gas production from the first FPSO in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico started at the deepwater Cascade field, according to Brazilian oil major Petrobras. Petrobras is the first company to develop an oilfield in the Gulf of Mexico using these technologies, which are systematically and successfully applied in Brazil.

The Cascade 4 well is connected to the FPSO BW Pioneer (Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessel), located approximately 250 kilometers off the coast of Louisiana in water depths of 2,500 meters in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

The FPSO is capable of processing 80,000 barrels of oil and 500,000 cubic meters of gas per day and of storing 500,000 barrels of oil. The vessel is fitted with a detachable mooring system that allows it to sail to sheltered areas during hurricanes and storms, providing security to both the crew and to the environment as well as preserving equipment.

The Cascade 4 production well was drilled and completed in Lower Tertiary reservoirs (formed between 23 and 65 million years ago), a promising offshore exploration frontier which is  located at a depth of about 8,000 meters in the Gulf of Mexico.

This well is connected to the vessel platform by means of a system composed of subsea equipment and lines, in addition to free-standing risers (vertical production lines). The oil will be transported to land on shuttle tankers, and the gas through pipelines.  

The Cascade development project was implemented in compliance with Petrobras’ Safety, Environment, Energy Efficiency and Health guidelines, which will continue to be faithfully enforced throughout the production phase which is now beginning.

March 4, 2012