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With production scheduled for 2029, the FPSO will have capacity for 120 barrels per day and reinforces the international presence in the Brazilian oil sector
A Shell Brazil officially announced its Final Investment Decision (FID) for the development of the Gato do Mato project, located in the pre-salt of the Santos Basin.
The confirmation, made on March 21, 2025, paves the way for the construction of another high-capacity FPSO that promises to further boost offshore production in the country.
The platform will be developed by the Japanese company MODEC, which signed two contracts with Shell: one for purchase and sale of the FPSO unit and another of operation and maintenance for 20 years. Modec is hiring to work in Singapore, find out more here.
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With this, MODEC consolidates its operations in Brazil, totaling 19 floating units developed in the country, and reaffirms its long-term partnership with international operators.
Shell's production capacity and technological innovation
The FPSO Gato do Mato will be able to produce up to 120 thousand barrels of oil per day, in addition to processing associated gas and water.
The unit will be installed approximately 200 kilometers south of Rio de Janeiro, in a water depth of 2.000 meters, and will have a new and custom made hull, with a projected useful life of 25 years.
In addition, MODEC will be responsible for the type anchoring system Spread Mooring, supplied by the subsidiary SOFEC. The oil produced will be stored on board and transferred by tankers directly to the market.
International consortium and role of PPSA
The project is operated by Shell, which holds a 50% stake in the consortium. The other partners are Ecopetrol (30%), from Colombia, and the TotalEnergies (20%), from France.
Already Pré-Sal Petróleo SA (PPSA) acts as manager of the production sharing contract, a role provided for in the model adopted for exploration of pre-salt areas.
According to Shell, the production is scheduled to start in 2029. The estimated volume of recoverable resources is 370 million barrels of oil. Initially, the natural gas produced will be reinjected to maintain reservoir pressure, with the future possibility of export to onshore facilities.
MODEC and Shell strengthen partnership in Brazil
This will be the second FPSO supplied by MODEC directly to Shell in Brazil, reinforcing mutual trust between the two companies.
The announcement represents another important step towards sustainable oil and gas exploration in the country, using modern technologies and achieving safety and operational efficiency goals.
