Wood and Petrobras Collaborate to Revolutionize FPSO Design for Enhanced Safety and Sustainability

Wood and Petrobras Collaborate to Revolutionize FPSO Design for Enhanced Safety and Sustainability

(IN BRIEF) Wood has entered a partnership with Brazilian national oil company Petrobras to develop innovative concept studies for future Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units. The collaboration aims to optimize performance and reduce emissions over the next decade. The first study will focus on designing FPSO units that minimize human risk and enhance operational reliability. The second study will explore converting the Petrobras Reference Design into an FPSO model that relies on external power sources to eliminate onboard electricity generation, thus reducing emissions. This project will be executed from Wood’s Houston office, with local support in Rio de Janeiro, and will leverage Wood’s expertise in marine systems and hull design. The partnership underscores both companies’ commitment to sustainable practices in the energy sector.

(PRESS RELEASE) ABERDEEN, 4-Oct-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — In a strategic move to enhance offshore oil and gas operations, Wood has partnered with Brazilian national oil company Petrobras to develop innovative concept studies aimed at optimizing the performance and sustainability of future Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units. This collaboration will focus on designing FPSO solutions that align with the industry’s evolving demands over the next decade.

The first study will investigate design modifications for FPSO units that prioritize safety by minimizing human exposure to operational risks while enhancing overall reliability. This initiative responds to a growing trend within the sector, emphasizing the need for safer and more efficient offshore production systems.

The second study will assess how to adapt the current Petrobras Reference Design into a more sustainable FPSO model, eliminating onboard electricity generation. By utilizing external power sources, whether from offshore generation hubs or integrated onshore systems, this innovative design aims to significantly reduce emissions, addressing a major environmental concern associated with traditional FPSO operations.

John Day, President of Oil, Gas and New Energies at Wood, stated, “These collaborative studies with Petrobras will explore groundbreaking solutions that target concepts and specifications that have not yet been realized in conventional FPSO projects.” He emphasized the importance of research and design in the oil and gas sector as critical to meeting net-zero emissions targets. “Petrobras chose Wood for this initiative due to our extensive global offshore expertise and our diverse range of capabilities, alongside our established partnerships with leading technology providers.”

The project will be carried out from Wood’s Houston office, with additional support from their Rio de Janeiro location, leveraging expertise in marine systems and hull design from Sandefjord, Norway. Collaboration will involve engineers, scientists, and researchers from Petrobras, many of whom are stationed at their Rio headquarters, which hosts the engineering department responsible for FPSO conceptual and Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) projects, as well as the Cenpes Research Center—South America’s largest oil research facility.

This partnership marks a significant step towards reimagining offshore production systems, reflecting both companies’ commitment to advancing sustainable practices within the energy sector.

Media Contact:

press.office@woodgroup.com

SOURCE: John Wood Group PLC