Petrobras Taps Maersk, Alcatel for Mero Field PRM System
By Offshore Engineer Digital
February 15, 2023
By Offshore Engineer DigitalThe Brazilian oil and gas company Petrobras has awarded Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and Maersk Supply Service (MSS) the contract for the supply and installation of a Permanent Reservoir Monitoring (PRM) system on the giant Mero field offshore Brazil.
The Mero field sits deep offshore in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin, 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
This contract includes the engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and operation of the PRM system. The PRM system will be used to monitor and optimize oil production from the Mero field.
The contract includes the construction and installation of 400 kilometers of optical fibers, distributed over an area of approximately 200 km² on the ocean floor. The optical fibers will be connected to the FPSO Sepetiba, which, in connection with Petrobras' offices, will allow remote and instant access to the data generated by the monitoring system. The installation of this system will start in 2024.
Maersk Supply Service cite Petrobras as saying that the motivations for investing in a frequent, high density/high repeatability 4D scheme on Mero stems from the anticipated added value of 4D information to directly assist a production drive, based on WAG – alternating water and gas reinjection.
The PRM system for the Mero field is based on the Optowave technology developed by ASN Norway.
ASN will mobilize its resources and subcontractors in Europe and in Brazil to complete the engineering, manufacturing, installation and commissioning of Mero PRM system.
Maersk Supply Service will install the system using one of its I-Class subsea support vessels.
Optowave PRM systems installed on other offshore fields have recorded active seismic data for many years. Once captured, the data are transferred to onshore processing centers, Maersk said in the press note on Wednesday.
