Brazil takes centre stage for Norway’s largest operator as safety studies by Lloyd’s Register prepare for significant offshore project.

Equinor is using technical expertise from Lloyd’s Register (LR) to lead a safety study assessment for the second phase of the Peregrino oil field in Brazil. Equinor and Sinochem are joint field owners with Equinor being the operator with a 60% interest in the asset.

This second phase, which includes the addition of a third wellhead platform (WH-C), is expected to be developed at a cost of $3.5bn and will start production by the end of 2020.

Joar Dalheim, LR’s Project Manager, says: “It is great to continue our involvement with the Peregrino field and with Equinor (formerly Statoil) as a key client. Given the challenging nature of offshore operations, safety is critical. Our work with Equinor will help ensure there are efficient barriers against fatalities, environmental spills and financial losses.”

Peregrino is a heavy oil field 85km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in water depths of around 100m. It has been developed with an FPSO and two wellhead platforms (WHP-A and WHP-B), and is Equinor’s biggest operated oil field outside Norway with a production capacity of 100,000bpd. The concession period of the field extends up to 2040.

The addition of a third wellhead platform is expected to yield 273m in recoverable reserves.