Petrobras has launched the contracting process for the construction of the FPSO Búzios 12, a production unit that will be installed in the Santos Basin (RJ) and identified as P-91. The bid notice, released on October 3, establishes a 180-day period for the submission of proposals by interested companies. The project will follow the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, under which the selected contractor will be responsible for the design, construction, assembly, and operation of the FPSO for a defined period before transferring it to Petrobras.
The tender requires that at least 25% of the unit’s content be locally sourced, reinforcing Petrobras’s commitment to fostering the Brazilian industry. The FPSO Búzios 12 is expected to have a production capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil per day and 12 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, serving as a gas export hub. In addition to processing its own production, the unit will also handle gas exports from other platforms in the field that were not originally designed for that purpose.
The gas produced will be transported through the Rota 3 pipeline to the Boaventura Energy Complex in Itaboraí (RJ). The system will include 16 interconnected wells – eight producers and eight injectors – operating under an alternating water and gas injection scheme.
The project is a partnership between Petrobras (as operator) and the Chinese companies CNPC and CNOOC. According to Petrobras, the new FPSO aligns with its strategy to optimize natural gas utilization and expand domestic energy supply. The company also noted that the Búzios field is on track to surpass Tupi as Petrobras’s largest producing field, highlighting its growing strategic importance.
With the start of the Búzios 12 contracting process, Petrobras advances its pre-salt expansion plan, focusing on operational efficiency, local content development, and a fair energy transition, ensuring a more secure and competitive energy supply for Brazil.
Photo: Canva
