- The platform will produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basi

The FPSO (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading Unit) Alexandre de Gusmão left China on December 16, heading towards the Mero oil field in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin. The platform, leased by Petrobras in partnership with SBM, can produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day and compresses 12 million cubic meters of gas daily. The unit is expected to start operations in 2025, increasing Mero's current production capacity by 31%, reaching 770,000 barrels daily.

Mero is located in ultra-deep waters of the Santos Basin (2,100 meters deep), 180 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. Are already four FPSOs operating at Mero: Pioneiro de Libra, Guanabara, Sepetiba, and Marechal Duque de Caxias. The FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão will be the fifth unit installed in the field.

The unitized Mero field is governed by the Libra Production Sharing Agreement, operated by Petrobras (38.6%), in partnership with Shell Brasil (19.3%), TotalEnergies (19.3%), CNOOC (9.65%), CNPC (9.65%), and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. (PPSA), which also represents the Union in the non-contracted area (3.5%).

The FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão is designed to receive the HISEP® (High-Pressure Separator) technology, patented by Petrobras. This technology allows the subsea separation of extracted oil and the associated gas, rich in CO₂ and reinjected directly into the reservoir from the seabed. This enables the unit to operate with greater energy efficiency and reduce environmental impact and emission intensity.

According to Sylvia Couto dos Anjos, E&P Director: "The FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão will be the fifth platform installed at the Mero field, with production expected to begin in mid-2025. It will join the FPSOs Pioneiro de Libra, Guanabara—the largest producer platform in operation in Brazil—and Sepetiba and Marechal Duque de Caxias. Since 2022, we have started producing one large system per year at Mero, demonstrating the capability of our teams and the quality of this world-class asset."

"Mero presents many technical challenges for our teams, but we are motivated to operate in the Santos Basin and lead major FPSO projects like the Alexandre de Gusmão, together with our partners, in one of the most promising offshore regions globally," said Renata Baruzzi, Petrobras' Director of Engineering, Technology, and Innovation.

About Petrobras

Petrobras has upwards of 100 production platforms, 16 refineries, 30,000 kilometers of pipelines and more than 6,000 service stations. Our proved reserves are around 14 billion barrels of oil, a figure expected to double in the next few years. With the discovery of oil and gas in the pre-salt region, Brazil may become the world's fourth biggest oil producer in 2030.

We have built a track record of overcoming challenges since 1953, when the company was created. The main one was developing technology to explore and produce oil in deep and ultra-deep waters, where upwards of 90% of our reserves are nestled. With innovation and daringness, we are now the Brazilian company that makes the applies for the most patents in Brazil and abroad.

Based on this discovery, with a substantial volumetric potential for natural gas, the social/environmental and licensing procedures required to carry the gas to consumer centers will begin.

Petrobras reaffirms its commitment to conducting operations in Colombia, working safely, respecting life, people, and the environment, and acknowledging the importance of talks with the local communities and compliance with the country's legal requirements.

About SBM Offshore

SBM Offshore is the world’s deepwater ocean-infrastructure expert. Through the design, construction, installation, and operation of offshore floating facilities, we play a pivotal role in a just transition. By advancing our core, we deliver cleaner, more efficient energy production. By pioneering more, we unlock new markets within the blue economy.

More than 7,400 SBMers collaborate worldwide to deliver innovative solutions as a responsible partner towards a sustainable future, balancing ocean protection with progress.