Page 15 - LatAmOil Week 25

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Açu Petróleo operates a 1.2mn bpd oil terminal (Photo: Açu Petróleo)
The facility provides transshipment services for expressed satisfaction with the VLCC transship-
a number of European oil operators working in ment operation. “The Açu Petróleo terminal in
the country, including Equinor (Norway), Galp Porto do Açu is one of the most effective options
(Portugal), Repsol (Spain), Royal Dutch Shell for oil exports in Brazil, given its strategic loca-
(UK/Netherlands) and Total (France) tion between the Santos and Campos basins and
One of these companies, Shell, was the ben- nominal depth of 25 metres, which allows ves-
eficiary of the terminal’s first VLCC transship- sels of the size of VLCCs to moor,” he said. “The
ment operation, which was completed earlier success of this operation for Shell Brasil Petróleo
this month. Açu Petroleo’s facility was used to reinforces the importance of moving large vol-
transfer 2mn barrels of crude from shuttle tank- umes of oil through oil overflow in sheltered ter-
ers – the Lena Knutsen and the Vigdis Knutsen, minals, ensuring a high standard of safety and
both operated by a subsidiary of Shell – to the care for the environment, in addition to greater
Greek-flagged Wasit VLCC on June 11-14. predictability, which increases the competitive-
Victor Bomfim, CEO of Açu Petróleo, ness of the Brazilian oil.” ™

Sale process begins for four offshore fields

BRAZIL’S state-run oil and gas firm Petrobras to Petrobras in the transaction.
has kicked off a sales process for four offshore The Brazilian national oil operator said it was
oilfields. planning to divest $20-30bn worth of assets,
The fields slated for sale are Atum, Curima, including eight Brazilian refineries, between
Espada and Xareu, all of which are 100% owned 2020 and 2024. In March, it kicked off the sale
by Petrobras, the company said in a securities process for its 51% stake in the gas unit Gaspetro
filing. All of them are located in a shallow-wa- and for its stakes in the Merluza and Lagosta oil-
ter zone in northeastern Brazil, off the coast fields, both located in the shallow-water section
of Ceara State in the Mundaú sub-basin. They of the Santos Basin, the largest offshore sedi-
currently produce 4,200 barrels per day (bpd) mentary basin in Brazil. Petrobras is the sole
of oil and 76,900 cubic metres per day of gas on concessionaire for both fields, which yielded
average. about 3,600 barrels of oil equivalent per day
The fields are located at a distance of 30 (boepd) in 2019.
km from the coast in water depths of 30 to 50 Last month, though, Petrobras reportedly
metres. They are currently producing from 32 put the sale of a large cluster of offshore oilfields
wells and nine fixed platforms, three of which on hold because of the coronavirus (COVID-19)
are manned, according to teaser information pandemic. The company had announced plans
published by Petrobras. to sell a minority stake in the Marlim cluster of
The current concession will expire in 2025, oilfields off the coast of Rio de Janeiro earlier
and the purchaser will have the option to extend this year but decided to put the process on hold
if and when required, the company noted. It in light of the global slide in oil prices following
said that it would give companies interested in lockdown measures, sources told Reuters. Mar-
acquiring the fields until July 10, 2020 to declare lim accounts for around 10% of Petrobras’ total
their intentions. output, and some of it is located in the promising
Bank of America is acting as financial advisor pre-salt formation. ™

Week 25 25•June•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P15