Equinor Inks SURF, FPSO Contracts for $9B Brazil Project

MODEC and TechnipFMC have been awarded contracts for the Equinor-operated $9 billion BM-C-33 project offshore Brazil, Equinor said on May 10.

Equinor announced it signed a sales and purchase agreement with MODEC for the delivery of an FPSO — and with TechnipFMC for subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF). On May 8, Equinor announced reaching final investment decision on the $9 billion project, with first oil expected in 2028.

BM-C-33 holds recoverable natural gas and oil/condensate of 1 billion boe or more, Equinor said. 

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The lump sum turnkey contract for the FPSO includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation, with an expected delivery date in 2027. MODEC will also provide Equinor with operations and maintenance service of the FPSO for the first year from its start-up, after which Equinor plans to operate the unit.

The FPSO will produce the pre-salt cluster of the Pao de Acucar, Seat and Gavea fields in the BM-C-33 block of the Campos Basin offshore Brazil. 

MODEC said the FPSO will be one of the most complex facilities in the company’s history, handling large volumes of exported gas with a major focus on greenhouse-gas emission reduction.

MODEC will be responsible for the design and construction of the FPSO, including topsides processing equipment and hull marine systems. The topsides will be able to produce about 125,000 bbl/d of crude oil and 565 MMcf/d of associated gas. It will be able to store at least 2 MMbbl.

The FPSO will apply MODEC’s newbuild, full double hull design and developed to accommodate larger topsides and larger storage capacity than conventional very large crude carrier tankers — all with a longer service life.

The fully electrified FPSO will be equipped with a combined cycle system for power generation to emissions reduction.

The spread mooring system will be supplied by MODEC group company SOFEC Inc. 

With TechnipFMC, Equinor said it had exercised an option from the July 2022 FEED for integrated engineering, procurement, construction and installation for the SURF system. The subsea equipment will be installed in a water depth of 2,900 m, which is the deepest installation in Equinor’s history.

TechnipFMC said on May 11 the integrated Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Installation contract award covers the entire subsea system, including Subsea 2.0 tree systems, manifolds, jumpers, risers and flowlines, umbilicals, pipeline end terminations, subsea distribution and topside control equipment and installation. TechnipFMC will also be responsible for life-of-field services.

Repsol Sinopec made the first discovery on the block in 2010. Equinor became operator in 2016 and holds 35% interest. Project partners are Repsol Sinopec Brasil, with a 35% stake and Petrobras with 30%.