Record oil production in Brazil

Petrobras has revealed that in December it reached three new records in Brazil for monthly, annual and daily oil production averages. The monthly average for December will be approximately 2.12 million bpd, against the previous record from April at 2.033 million bbls. The volume produced over the month is 4.4% higher than the production achieved in November this year (2.03 million bpd).

In addition to the monthly record, the company recorded yet another daily record. On 27 December, oil production reached 2.256 million bbls. With such results, the company closed 2010 with production levels of over 2 million bpd, which also represents a new annual record.

This performance was mainly due to five new wells coming online at the Campos Basin in December: CHT-9 and BFR-3, at Cachalote and Baleia Franca fields, both interconnected to FPSO Capixaba; wells JUB-9 and JUB-14, which produce connected to the newly installed P-57 platform, at the Jubarte field; and CRT-43, which was given the working name Carimbé and is a producer well nestled at the pre-salt layer of the Caratinga field, which is connected to platform P-48.

With the aggregate contribution of the five wells, it was possible to add more than 100 000 bpd to Petrobras' production in Brazil. Furthermore, it is important to point out the high level of operational efficiency achieved in the month by the stationary production units (SPU) of all operating units.

The good performance of fields located in mature areas in Northern and Northeastern Brazil and in the state of Espírito Santo also contributed to such outcomes. These fields, where production had been declining in recent years, managed to maintain an average production of around 213 000 bpd of oil in 2010 thanks to the revitalisation effort undertaken by Petrobras. 

Another highlight was production being kicked off at well SPS-55, which initiated the Extended Well Test in the Guará area, in the Santos Basin pre-salt layer.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/05012011/record_oil_production_in_brazil/