www.oilgastechnology.com
10
'24
Written on Modified on
PETROBRAS AND CURTISS-WRIGHT PARTNER FOR NEW SUBSEA PUMPING SYSTEM
The technology intended for higher reliability and profitability will be tested in the Campos Basin and may be available to the market by 2030.
petrobras.com.br
P-57 operating in the Jubarte Field
To improve the efficiency and safety of deep-water oil and gas activities, Petrobras and Curtiss-Wright have entered into a technological cooperation agreement to design a fully electric, highly reliable subsea pumping system with far less dependency on the production platform. The new equipment produced by the partnership will reduce vessel costs, enable production through long subsea flowlines connecting the platform to the well, and help revitalize mature fields. Upon successful prototype testing, scheduled to begin in 2026 in the Jubarte and Espadarte fields in Campos Basin, it is expected to be available to the market as early as 2028.
The system Petrobras and Curtiss-Wright developed will pump raw oil and gas mixtures in a depth of up to 1,500 meters of water. The equipment will use hermetically sealed (canned) motors, which are more reliable and effective than today's models’ mechanical seals, and reduce unplanned interruptions and consequent production losses. The partnership combines Petrobras's deep-water oil and gas distribution know-how acquired over decades of sea exploitation with Curtiss-Wright's experience a benchmark in design and manufacture of hermetically sealed electric motors for severe service pumping applications.
Pumping system
In pumping systems used to produce oil and natural gas, pumping machines serve to add the energy to the reservoir fluid so it can rise up to the production platform under higher flowrates compared to the ones without such addition of energy.
The pumps available on the market today have an average life of roughly three years, and after that, each change costs up to US$ 70 million. This new technology is expected to last twice as long, at least six years, cutting down costs and boosting improving reliability.
Additionally, the specialists of Petrobras and Curtiss-Wright are studying an evolution of the prototype under development—five times more powerful. This more advanced version will have a life of at least ten years, with one machine capable of pumping two wells or more simultaneously while reducing costs and increasing productivity.
To improve the efficiency and safety of deep-water oil and gas activities, Petrobras and Curtiss-Wright have entered into a technological cooperation agreement to design a fully electric, highly reliable subsea pumping system with far less dependency on the production platform. The new equipment produced by the partnership will reduce vessel costs, enable production through long subsea flowlines connecting the platform to the well, and help revitalize mature fields. Upon successful prototype testing, scheduled to begin in 2026 in the Jubarte and Espadarte fields in Campos Basin, it is expected to be available to the market as early as 2028.
The system Petrobras and Curtiss-Wright developed will pump raw oil and gas mixtures in a depth of up to 1,500 meters of water. The equipment will use hermetically sealed (canned) motors, which are more reliable and effective than today's models’ mechanical seals, and reduce unplanned interruptions and consequent production losses. The partnership combines Petrobras's deep-water oil and gas distribution know-how acquired over decades of sea exploitation with Curtiss-Wright's experience a benchmark in design and manufacture of hermetically sealed electric motors for severe service pumping applications.
Pumping system
In pumping systems used to produce oil and natural gas, pumping machines serve to add the energy to the reservoir fluid so it can rise up to the production platform under higher flowrates compared to the ones without such addition of energy.
The pumps available on the market today have an average life of roughly three years, and after that, each change costs up to US$ 70 million. This new technology is expected to last twice as long, at least six years, cutting down costs and boosting improving reliability.
Additionally, the specialists of Petrobras and Curtiss-Wright are studying an evolution of the prototype under development—five times more powerful. This more advanced version will have a life of at least ten years, with one machine capable of pumping two wells or more simultaneously while reducing costs and increasing productivity.
www.petrobras.com
