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With The Height Of A 48-Story Building And The Weight Of 250 Thousand Tons, The Cherne 1 Platform (PCH-1) Is The Largest Fixed Oil Platform In Brazil, A Milestone Of National Engineering That Has Been Operating For Over 40 Years.
In The Heart Of The Campos Basin, A True Concrete Colossus Rises Above The Waters Of The Atlantic Ocean. The Cherne 1 Platform, Or PCH-1, Operated By Petrobras, Holds The Title Of Largest Fixed Oil Platform In Brazil. Its History Is A Portrait Of The Pioneering Era Of Offshore Oil Exploration In The Country.
According To Data From Petrobras And The National Agency Of Petroleum (ANP), It Is Essential To Understand The Difference Between The Types Of Platforms. While The PCH-1 Is The Record Holder Among Fixed Structures, The Largest Units In Production Capacity Are The Modern Floating Platforms (FPSOs) From The Pre-Salt. The Story Of The PCH-1 Is One Of A Giant From Another Era, Yet It Remains A Vital Piece In The Energy Production Of Brazil.
What Is And Where Is The Cherne 1 Platform (PCH-1)?
The PCH-1 Is Located In The Cherne Field, In The Campos Basin, About 133 Km Off The Coast Of Macaé, In Rio De Janeiro. It Is The Largest Fixed Oil Platform In Brazil, A Category Of Structure That Has Its “Legs” Directly Supported On The Seafloor, Used In Shallow Waters.
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The Installation In 1982
The Installation Of The PCH-1, In November 1982, Was A Milestone In The History Of Brazilian Engineering. The Platform Is A Gravity-Based Structure (GBS) Made Of Concrete. Its Stability On The Seafloor, At A Depth Of 117 Meters, Is Guaranteed By Its Own Monumental Weight.
The Dimensions Of The PCH-1 Are Impressive:
- Total Height: Approximately 144 Meters, Equivalent To A 48-Story Building.
- Total Weight: About 250,000 Tons.
The Function Of A “Hub” At Sea: How The PCH-1 Operates
A Curiosity About The Largest Fixed Oil Platform In Brazil Is That It Does Not Drill Wells. Its Function Is To Act As A Central Processing Platform.
It Receives All The Oil And Gas Production From Six Smaller Satellite Platforms Located Around It (Cherne 2, Garoupa 1, Namorado 1, Namorado 2, Pargo 1 And Corvina). At The PCH-1, Oil, Water, And Gas Are Separated, And The Production Is Pumped To The Shore Through Pipelines.
Fixed Platforms Vs. Floating: Understanding The Difference
To Understand The Ranking Of Platforms, It Is Crucial To Know The Difference Between The Two Main Types. Fixed Platforms, Like The PCH-1, Were The Engineering Solution For The Shallow Waters Of The Campos Basin In The 70s And 80s.
On The Other Hand, Floating Platforms (FPSOs) Are Giant Platform-Ships, Anchored In Ultra-Deep Waters, Such As Those Of The Pre-Salt. They Are Much Larger In Capacity. The FPSO Almirante Tamandaré, For Example, Which Started Production In February 2025, Can Process 225,000 Barrels Of Oil Per Day, A Volume Far Superior To Any Fixed Platform.
The Legacy Of The PCH-1: A Milestone Of Engineering That Continues Operating In 2025
Even With The Arrival Of The Giants Of The Pre-Salt, The PCH-1 Remains A Strategic Asset For Petrobras In July 2025. It Is Essential For Optimizing The Production Of Mature Fields In The Campos Basin.
The History Of The Largest Fixed Oil Platform In Brazil Is One Of A Pioneer, A Symbol Of Technological Development That Allowed Brazil To Become A Power In Offshore Oil Exploration.
Foi projetada pela SNAMPROJETOS no Rio de Janeiro, empresa onde iniciei minha vida profissional, participei do projeto, pré-montagem, montagem, pré-operação e operação assistida, foi um grande feito da Petrobrás na época.
Por muitos anos foi a minha segunda casa, onde fiz muitos amigos e colegas de trabalho,