The president and CEO of Petrobras (PBR), José Sergio Gabrielli, Exploration and Production director, Guilherme Estrella, and Gas & Energy director, Graça Foster, made an official visit to the State of Sergipe to announce a major exploratory drilling campaign in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin in 2010. Petrobras' investments in Exploration and Production in Sergipe add up to US $617.3 million (R $1.5 billion).
Piranema Oil Field
Gabrielli mentioned the recent discovery Petrobras announced to the National Petroleum Agency (ANP) of the new light oil accumulation in Sergipe Basin reservoirs, after the completion of the drilling of exploratory well 3-PRM-12-SES, in the post-salt section of the Piranema area. The volume of economically recoverable oil has been estimated at 15 million barrels. The exploratory well was drilled at the northern tip of the Piranema production concession area, some 28 km off the coast of the State of Sergipe, at a water depth of 800 meters. The discovery was made in sandy post-salt reservoirs and is nestled at a depth of 2,693 meters. Preliminary estimations indicate the presence of light oil (44 degrees API) in reservoirs of good thickness and excellent permo-porous conditions, something that has been confirmed by the data obtained this far. This discovery is the outcome of the exploratory strategy of intensifying work in areas that neighbor fields already in production (PLANÓLEO), as was done in the Pampo and Barracuda fields in 2010, aiming to take advantage of the capacity of the existing facilities, to reduce production costs, and to speed up the production of new volumes of oil.
Exploratory Drilling Campaign in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin
Petrobras' CEO presented the deepwater exploratory campaign for 2010 in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin. In addition to the exploratory campaign, Petrobras will invest US $617.3 million (R$1.5 billion) in shallow waters and in onshore fields in Sergipe. A total of US $171 million (R $415 million) will be invested in exploration. The Sergipe-Alagoas basin has been producing in different reservoirs for some 50 years. In spite of the large amount of wells drilled onshore and even in the shallower water area, the deep waters there remain virtually unexplored. In addition to meeting the commitments it took-on in the agreements with the ANP, the 2010 campaign aims to survey different geological targets in different parts of the Basin, in which geologists and geophysicists have identified good drilling opportunities. The results that were obtained, in addition to the perspective of incorporating important oil and/or gas volumes to Petrobras' portfolio, will also contribute to boosting the geological knowledge and to reduce the uncertainties for possible participations in future ANP auctions.
In deep waters, eight wells are slated to be drilled, two of which in the Piranema Field and six in different areas of the exploratory wells called BM-SEAL-4, BM-SEAL-10, and BM-SEAL-11, all of which operated by Petrobras. In shallow waters and in onshore fields, operations such as water injection and the revitalization of the Carmópolis field (US $288 million/R $700 million), water injection enhancements and the revitalization of the Sirizinho (US $107 million/R $260 million) and Riachuelo (US $82 million/R $200 million) fields, in new Piranema Field zones (US $115 million/R $280 million), and water injection and the revitalization of the Camorim and Dourado Fields (US $412 million/R $1 billion), both in shallow waters, have been scheduled. Shallow water projects depend on the issuing of environmental permits. In Petrobras' history, this is the first exploratory campaign of this magnitude in northeastern Brazil.
RIG SS-54
Drilling rig SS-54 has been drilling well 3-PRM-12, in the Piranema Field, since early 2010. The geology and geophysics studies identified a potential accumulation located to the North of the field which, if the well is successful, may be quickly put into production for the FPSO Sevan Piranema. Drilling will be completed in late March 2010, and result assessments are expected to be started to estimate the potential there. The preliminary results that were obtained during the well drilling procedures confirmed the existence of good, thick reservoirs. The type of hydrocarbon present there, however, can only be confirmed after both drilling and the assessment have been finalized. After the drilling and assessment of 3-PRM-12, the rig will have to be shutdown for maintenance. In mid-November 2010, the SS-54 will return to Sergipe to drill the second well, the 7-PRM-13.
RIG NS-09
Four more wells are scheduled to be drilled in 2010 with NS-09, three of which in block BM-SEAL-10 (100% Petrobras) and one in block BM-SEAL-4 (75% Petrobras, 25% ONGC). This rig's campaign will begin in April 2010, with the drilling of well 1-SES-157, located 3 km to the south of the Piranema Field. This is a project which, in the event of a discovery, may, after the assessment plan, be annexed to the field and its production can flow to FPSO Sevan Piranema. The rig will then be moved to drill a well in block BM-SEAL-4. This is a project that will survey potential reservoirs located in the area. Immediately after the well is drilled in Block BM-SEAL-4, NS-09 will return to the Piranema Field to drill two more wells, the Real and Crasto. Under the current timeline, the NS-09 will complete its operations in December 2010.
RIG SS-75
Two wells are scheduled to be drilled in 2010 with OCEAN COURAGE, one of which in block BM-SEAL-11 (60% Petrobras, 40% IBV) and one in block BM-SEAL-4 (75% Petrobras, 25% ONGC). This rig's campaign will begin in May 2010, with the drilling of well 1-SES-158, located in block BM-SEAL-11. This is the project with the best exploratory potential identified by the geologists and geophysicists who work in the area. After that, the rig will be moved to drill well 1-SES-156, in block BM-SEAL-4. This is a typical new frontier project that will survey potential reservoirs identified in 3D seismics. Under the current timeline, the SS-OCEAN COURAGE will complete its operations in mid-August 2010.
