Rolls-Royce Inks Petrobas Contracts

Rolls-Royce said today it has been awarded new contracts worth potentially $650 million by Petrobras to support production activities offshore Brazil.

The contracts Rolls-Royce will supply Petrobras with thirty-two RB211 gas turbine power generation packages, including waste-heat recovery units, to meet the power generation requirements of eight separate Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels. The FPSO’s, used for the processing of hydrocarbons and storage of oil, will operate in the petroleum rich Lula (formerly Tupi) and Guara oilfields, located in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin off the coast of Brazil.

The new gas turbine power generation packages will be delivered in groups of four, with the first units scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2013. Four gas turbine generating sets will be installed on each of the eight FPSO’s. Rolls-Royce will also provide Petrobras with long-term services, technical support and training.

“We are delighted that Petrobras has again selected Rolls-Royce power generation technology to help meet its aggressive offshore oil and gas production objectives,” said Andrew Heath, President of Rolls-Royce. “Rolls-Royce has a strong record of equipment and services supply to Brazil’s energy sector and we are committed to supporting all our customers in the country with reliable, technology solutions and a strong localised presence.”

In February Rolls-Royce announced plans for the construction of a new $100 million-plus purpose-built gas turbine assembly and test facility in Santa Cruz in the state of Rio de Janeiro which is expected to become operational in the first quarter of 2013. Equipment from these contract awards, scheduled for installation in the Lula (Tupi) and Guara oilfields, will be among the first units to be assembled and tested at the new Rolls-Royce facility.

The latest contract award increases the number of Rolls-Royce RB211-powered industrial gas turbine units installed in Brazil over the last 10 years to sixty-two. The combined total amount of energy generated by these units is equivalent to 1.8 gigawatts of electric power, enough to supply energy to over seven million people.