Rolls-Royce to Power Seven Drillships in Brazil

Drill ship from another project similar to the ships being built for Petrobras. Image courtesy of LMG Marin.

Global power systems company Rolls-Royce said Thursday that it has won an order worth more than 100 million pounds to supply integrated power and propulsion systems for seven Petrobas drillships to be built at the Atlântico Sul shipyard in Brazil.

Rolls-Royce says that it will abide by Brazil’s strict “local content” requirements and equip each of the seven newbuilds with six large thrusters and six Bergen diesel generator sets.

Tony Wood, Rolls-Royce, President – Marine commented: “We are delighted to announce this significant order in Brazil for our new customer, Atlântico Sul. This contract builds further on our strong reputation for innovation and technology, and on our market-leading position for power and propulsion systems in the offshore drilling sector.”

Estaleiro Atlântico Sul, along with its partner Sete Brazil S.A., outbid other Brazilian shipyards and won the contract to build the ships from Petrobas in 2011 for US$4.6 billion.

Mr Otoniel Silva Reis, CEO, Atlântico Sul, said: “We look forward to working with Rolls-Royce on this project. Their vast experience and expertise in providing highly innovative and reliable power and propulsion solutions, particularly in the mobile drilling sector, is a tremendous asset as we build these highly advanced drill ships for Petrobras.”

Rolls-Royce has facilities in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Rio de Janeiro, Niteroi and Macae. The company is also expected to open a new facility in 2013 in Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, which will be dedicated to the assembly and testing of RB211 industrial gas turbines. Rolls-Royce says that the first batch of equipment to be produced in Santa Cruz has already been ordered by Petrobras in a US$650-million contract signed in 2011.

The seven drillships are expected to be delivered in 2015  and will primarily support extraction from wells along the pre-salt layer, located 2,000-3,000 metres below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, offshore Brazil.

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