The Raia project, operated by Equinor in partnership with Repsol Sinopec and Petrobras, has reached important milestones in its development in the pre-salt of the Campos Basin. The project has completed the installation of the ultra-deepwater section of the gas pipeline that will connect the field to the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, recorded the arrival of the Saturn jack-up barge on the coast of Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, to support the pipeline installation campaign, and delivered its first production well.

The World’s Deepest Gas Pipeline

Equinor has completed the installation of 186 kilometers of Raia’s natural gas export pipeline in ultra-deep waters, using pipes manufactured by Tenaris with 99% Brazilian steel. At its deepest point, the pipeline reaches 2,735 meters below the surface, making it the deepest gas pipeline in the world.

During the installation, more than 600 professionals worked daily aboard the Saipem vessel.

The milestone reinforces the progress of the project schedule, with operations expected to begin in 2028. Once production begins, Raia will have the capacity to transport 16 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, potentially accounting for 15% of Brazil’s projected total gas demand.

First Well Delivered

Another important milestone for the project was the delivery of the first production well, PDA-P14. Located approximately 200 kilometers from the coast in the Campos Basin, the well is part of the Raia development, which brings together the pre-salt discoveries of Pão de Açúcar, Gávea, and Seat and has recoverable reserves of natural gas and oil/condensate exceeding one billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe).

Completed ahead of the established target, PDA-P14 reinforces the technical capabilities of the teams involved in executing a highly complex project.

Saturn in Position

The project also recorded the arrival of the Saturn jack-up barge in the Macaé region. The unit is supporting the pipeline installation campaign through horizontal directional drilling (HDD), which will connect the offshore and onshore sections of the pipeline.

The arrival of the Saturn marks the beginning of a new phase of the campaign, including pilot-hole drilling, hole enlargement, and pipe pulling operations, which precede the final installation of the infrastructure. The mobilization of the unit contributes to the safe progress of the development schedule.

Innovative Concept

The gas produced at Raia will be transported through the pipeline to Cabiúnas, in Macaé, where it will be connected to the national gas transportation system. This will be the first time in Brazil that gas is conditioned offshore and delivered directly to the transportation system, without the need for an onshore processing plant.

The project represents a strategic milestone not only for Equinor but also for Brazil’s energy system itself, as one of the country’s major natural gas projects.

About Raia – Raia is one of Brazil’s major natural gas projects and is operated by Equinor (35%) in partnership with Repsol Sinopec Brasil (35%) and Petrobras (30%). Together with its partners, Equinor will invest approximately US$9 billion in the project’s development. In addition, the project’s FPSO is expected to rank among the world’s most efficient in terms of carbon intensity, with average CO₂ emissions of approximately 6 kg per barrel of oil equivalent.