New plans for developing oil and gas resources off the coast of Brazil have recently been approved. All those involved in these new projects have to overcome water depth of 1,400 metres and a steeply sloping seabed.
Petrobras, the Brazilian oil and gas major, is to install new pipelines for oil as well as gas within the Campos basin and the EspirĖto Santo basin. Subsea 7 has been awarded the engineering, procurement, installation and construction contract for these jobs.
Iain Adam is Subsea 7's project manager and thus responsible for doing the whole job right the first time. He says: "We need the skills and experience of all involved in these challenging projects. Pipelines have been installed in deep waters before, but you can never rely on old experience. I believe we have got off to a good start and have the pleasure of collaborating with capable professional companies and professional people. As you meet tough challenges, you have to be 100 percent focused at all times."
Subsea 7's biggest contracts
The first pipeline to be installed is a 67-kilometre gas export line. This is part of an overall plan for the Golfinho field in the EspirĖto Santo basin. The first gas is scheduled for delivery by April 2006.
As part of the overall plan for the Campos basin, three oil-export and two gas-export pipelines will then be completed. The total length of these pipelines will be almost 130 kilometres and the first petroleum will flow through these pipes at the end of 2006.
"This is among Subsea 7's biggest contracts ever, worldwide. Although the installation process will not start for almost a year, the engineering process has been on-going for a while," says Adam.
"This is a technically difficult project. The seabed the pipeline has to cross on its way from the Golfinho field to shore rises from water depths of 1,200 metres to 70 metres in less than four kilometres. The pipeline may also cross 105 free spans a number that we really want to reduce."
The demand will increase
Iain Adam expects more pipelines to be laid in these petroleum-rich provinces off the Brazilian coast.
"The plan for further developing Golfinho 2 is a hot topic right now. The demand for gas in Brazil is increasing. The demand for oil is high and will rise. There are currently some unsolved political questions related to tax systems depending on where the oil is landed. If these are solved, my guess is that new pipeline projects will be started in the years to come."
He wants to mention the environmental aspect too: "Pipelines reduce the risk of spills. And pipeline will in the long term have a positive economic effect too."
Adopted DNV pipeline standard
For Subsea 7, as for all contractors operating in Brazil, Petrobras is its most important partner. In 2000, Petrobras decided to adopt the DNV pipeline standard OS-F101 as the company standard for the design of all its subsea pipelines.
Iain Adam completely understands why Petrobras made this decision. "It's a good standard. It addresses all parts of a pipeline project, and the result is a high-quality end product."
