Petrobras announced today (20) that well 9-SPS-77, in Sapinhoá Field, in the Santos Basin Pre-Salt, went on stream last Tuesday, February 18th, 2014 at 5:15 pm. This well, which produces 33 thousand barrels per day (bpd), is interconnected to FPSO Cidade de São Paulo through a pioneering system. In this system, the ascending section of the production pipelines is supported by a submerged buoy, anchored in the seabed and floating at a depth of 240 meters. The well is located at a water depth of 2,118 meters. 

In this position, the buoy, known as Buoyancy Supported Risers – BSR, is immune to the movements of the platform. This innovative concept enables the use, in some parts of the project, of rigid steel pipes (Steel Catenary Risers – SCRs) at ultra deep waters. The buoy, which measures 40 x 52 meters and weighs 1,936 tons, is attached to the seabed by means of eight steel tendons of 1,828 meters each, connected to four stakes fixed in the seabed.

The company Subsea 7 built and installed the system. The installation of this buoy, which is capable of accommodating a total of three production wells and two injection wells, began in July 2013, and faced many challenges associated with meteorological conditions during winter and the innovativeness of the project.

After buoy installation was completed on December 25, 2013, rigid steel pipelines were installed by January 22, to interconnect the first two wells. The connection of well SPS-77 to the FPSO was completed on February 17, after the installation of the flexible pipelines and the opening of the well for production occurred on February 18. The next production well is expected to be interconnected to FPSO Cidade de São Paulo by the end of the first quarter.