Oil Companies Seek Support Vessels to Resume Offshore Oil Exploration Projects, Previously Halted Due to the Coronavirus Crisis
Equinor, Petrobras, and Shell are holding tenders for the chartering of offshore support vessels in Brazil. With the easing of some oil activities, previously limited due to the coronavirus pandemic, the so-called “oil majors” are racing against time to restart exploratory projects.
The Norwegian Equinor is looking for an Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel (AHTS) for two campaigns likely starting on September 18 and December 25, with durations of 27 days and 45 days firm, respectively.
In addition to the Peregrino field in the Campos Basin, Equinor operates several exploratory blocks off the southeast coast of Brazil, such as BM-S-8 and North of Carcará, where the Bacalhau field is expected to produce its first oil by the mid-2020s.
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Under kilometers of water, rock, and salt, Brazil hides a colossal wealth that led an official guide from the U.S. government to recognize the country as the owner of the largest ultra-deep oil reserves in the world.
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Iran said that the Strait of Hormuz is open, but in practice only 1 non-Iranian oil tanker managed to cross in 24 hours — before the blockade, 100 ships passed per day.
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Petrobras completes 1,300 hours of work and 15 km of subsea lines to connect the Búzios 90 well to the P-79 — the platform is ready to produce 180,000 barrels per day and is just awaiting ANP approval.
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Iran declares the Strait of Hormuz completely open this Friday, and the price of oil plummets nearly 10% in a few hours — the largest drop since the beginning of the conflict.
The Brazilian state-owned company Petrobras intends to charter platform supply vessels, AHTS, an offshore terminal supply vessel, and line handlers. Reverse auctions are scheduled to take place at the end of next week.
The Anglo-Dutch major Shell is looking for an Oil Spill Response Vessel (OSRV) for a spot job. Currently, the company operates the oil fields Parque das Conchas, Bijupirá, and Salema in the Campos Basin, as well as exploratory blocks in the Barreirinhas, Campos, Potiguar, and Santos basins.
New Contract
On Friday, Siem Offshore announced that it has signed a two-year contract with options for two one-year extensions with Total E&P do Brasil for the Siem Atlas and Siem Giant vessels. The contract is a continuation of the current agreement.
The French oil company currently operates the Lapa field in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin, as well as exploratory blocks in the Campos, Ceará, and Foz do Amazonas basins.

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