FPSO Cidade de Anchieta Has Been Idle Since January 22 After Two Holes Were Found in the Hull of the Platform Causing Oil Leakage Off the Coast of Espírito Santo

Oil Spill Was Caused by Holes in Both Tanks of the Drilling Ship Platform, Which Have Already Been Covered. FPSO Cidade de Anchieta Will Only Resume Activities When an Action Plan Is Approved by the Brazilian Authorities

The activities of FPSO Cidade de Anchieta, which operates in the Jubarte field, on the southern coast of Espírito Santo, remain suspended due to an oil spill detected on the platform. According to the oil company SBM, responsible for the operation of the vessel, activities were interrupted on January 22 after oil was found near the ship.

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According to Petrobras and SBM, FPSO Cidade de Anchieta will only resume operations when an action plan is approved by the Brazilian authorities.

The oil spill was caused by holes in both tanks of the drilling ship platform, which have already been covered. According to SBM, two temporary repairs have been made to the hull of the ship to solve the problem, and the situation is under control.

In an aerial survey conducted on February 9, the National Petroleum Agency (ANP) reported that a small oil stain was identified, with an estimated volume of 7 liters, and that it was only observed near the ship. “There was no oil touching the coast, and the simulation does not indicate any possibility of that occurring.”

According to the Agency, there is currently no leak, “although small remnants of oil have appeared, possibly attached to the hull.” It was also reported that support vessels have dispersed the spilled oil. Additionally, there is a coastal monitoring vessel.

ANP Revokes Operation Permission of FPSO Cidade de Anchieta

The agency also revoked the operation permission of the vessel. “After the permanent repair is completed, the investigation is concluded, and studies that ensure the restoration of the unit to a safe condition are submitted, the ANP will re-evaluate the permission situation,” it stated.

SBM Offshore stated in a note that, after identifying the leak, “appropriate anti-pollution measures were taken immediately and proved effective.” According to the operator, the situation is under control, with two temporary repairs done to the hull.

“The FPSO will restart operations as soon as the agreed action plan is approved by the Brazilian authorities,” SBM confirmed. A similar note had been sent by Petrobras on the night of February 9, which did not clarify the source of the leak at that time. According to information from the state-owned company, the ship exclusively operates in pre-salt wells and produces oil and gas from the extraction in the fields of Baleia Azul, Jubarte, and Pirambu, in the area known as the Whale Park.

The Union of Oil Workers of Espírito Santo (Sindipetro-ES) also commented on the incident. For the union’s general coordinator, Valnisio Hoffman, the spill is a result of outsourcing production using chartered vessels.

“These private companies have already shown that their priority is meeting targets and safety is a secondary concern,” emphasized Hoffman. He recalled that on February 11, seven years will have passed since the worst accident occurred in platforms in Espírito Santo: the explosion of the drilling ship Cidade de São Mateus, located in the Espírito Santo Basin, which left nine dead. “The FPSO Cidade de São Mateus was also chartered,” he noted.

Hoffman also stated that Sindipetro-ES will follow the accident investigation Commission to understand the causes and the volume of oil spilled.

The maximum operational capacity installed on FPSO Cidade de Anchieta is 100,000 barrels per day of oil and 3.5 million m³ of gas. Its production occurs at a water depth of approximately 1,270 meters and began in 2012.