Petrobras awarded TechnipFMC an integrated engineering, procurement, construction and installation (iEPCI) contract for a subsea high-pressure separation process for the Mero 3 project offshore Brazil, TechnipFMC announced Jan. 3.

The contract, valued at over $1 billion, covers the design, engineering, manufacture and installation of subsea equipment, including manifolds, flexible and rigid pipes, umbilicals and power distribution, as well as life of field services.

The Mero 3 High Pressure Separation (HISEP) project uses subsea processing to capture CO2-rich dense gases and then inject them into the reservoir. TechnipFMC, in partnership with Petrobras, has advanced the qualification of some of the core technologies needed to deliver the HISEP process entirely subsea.

The pre-salt Mero 3 project offshore Brazil will be the first to use Petrobras’ HISEP process subsea. HISEP technologies enable the capture of CO2-rich dense gases directly from the well stream, moving part of the separation process from the topside platform to the sea floor. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, HISEP technologies increase production capacity by debottlenecking the topside gas processing plant, TechnipFMC said.

Mero 3
Mero Phase 3 is located deep offshore, 112 miles off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, in the prolific pre-salt area of the Santos Basin. (Source: TotalEnergies)

First production from Mero 3 is expected this year to the FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias in 7,200 ft water depth in the Santos Basin.

Petrobras operates the Mero 3 project with 38.6% interest on behalf of Libra Consortium partners Shell Brasil Petróleo Ltda. with 19.3%, TotalEnergies EP Brasil Ltda. with 19.3%, CNOOC Petroleum Brasil Ltda. with 9.65%, CNODC Brasil Petróleo e Gas Ltda. with 9.65% and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. with 3.5% as the Brazilian government's representative in the non-contracted area.

Elsewhere in the field, Mero 2 started production, operator Petrobras announced Jan. 2.

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