Petrobras Partners with Curtiss-Wright for Subsea Boosting System in Brazil
Brazil’s state-run oil company, Petrobras, has joined forces with Curtiss-Wright Corporation to develop a subsea canned motor boosting system for use at a Petrobras production field in the Campos Basin offshore Brazil. The goal of this collaboration is to create a system capable of handling unprocessed hydrocarbon fluids at a depth of 1,500 meters.
Curtiss-Wright will be responsible for the design, manufacturing, and water-based testing of the subsea boosting system. The companies plan to conduct multiphase testing with actual hydrocarbons in Brazil. The first operational subsea canned motor boosting system is expected to be ready by 2027.
Lynn M. Bamford, Chair and CEO of Curtiss-Wright Corporation, expressed excitement about the partnership and the opportunity to apply their canned motor technology expertise in supporting Petrobras’ vision of an all-electric subsea production system.
The subsea boosting system will utilize canned motor pump technology, which is expected to enable reliable subsea production while reducing the need for topside support systems. This technology breakthrough promises greater flexibility in deployment, utilizing lighter and more cost-effective vessels compared to the larger vessels currently required for operations.
This technology aligns with Petrobras’ objective of achieving all-electric subsea boosting systems for long tie-back production arrangements. It also allows for the future deployment of Curtiss-Wright’s topside-less subsea boosting systems, which can be scaled up to 6 MW for multiphase applications. This development is in line with Petrobras’ technology development roadmap.
The partnership between Petrobras and Curtiss-Wright demonstrates their commitment to innovation and sustainability in the offshore oil and gas industry. The subsea canned motor boosting system represents a significant step towards achieving efficient and environmentally friendly production in Brazil’s oil fields.
Analyst comment
Positive news: Petrobras partnering with Curtiss-Wright for a subsea boosting system in Brazil.
As an analyst, I expect the market to respond positively to this news. The partnership will lead to the development of a technologically advanced subsea boosting system, allowing for more efficient and environmentally friendly production in Brazil’s oil fields. This aligns with Petrobras’ objective of achieving all-electric subsea production systems, and could potentially lead to cost savings and greater deployment flexibility in the industry.
