Brazil watchdog denies Petrobras request to resume operations of FPSO

Brazil’s oil and gas watchdog ANP has denied a request from federal oil company Petrobras to resume operations of its P-53 FPSO, in the Marlim Leste field off the country’s southeast coast.  

The production platform in the Campos basin has been halted since the end of February after an inspection carried out by the regulator identified “critical deviations.” 

In a recent analysis, the ANP concluded that the technical conditions to resume operations still do not exist. 

With the capacity to produce 180,000b/d of oil, P-53 began operating in Marlim Leste in 2008.

According to the ANP, the FPSO was producing approximately 40,000boe/d (35,000b/d of oil and 530,000m3/d of natural gas) when it was halted. 

The Marlim complex is the object of a large revitalization project being carried out by Petrobras. It includes the decommissioning of old FPSOs and the installation of new units. 

In recent years, the Anita Garibaldi and Anna Nery FPSOs were installed in the Marlim field. 

Earlier this month, the state-run firm launched a tender to contract the P-86 FPSO for the revitalization of Marlim Sul/Leste. 

Petrobras had not responded to BNamericas' request for comment by the time this article was published.