PRIO secures contract with giant McDermott to install underwater structures in the Campos Basin 

The contract signed by PRIO provides for McDermott to install around 30km of pipelines in a project in the Campos Basin

Renowned Brazilian oil and gas company PRIO, formerly known as PetroRio, has entered into a contract with McDermott for the transportation and installation of important subsea infrastructure at a development project located in the Campos basin in Brazil, according to the website Petronotícias.

Under the terms of the contract with PRIO, McDermott will be responsible for transporting and installing approximately 30 kilometers of 10-inch rigid jacketed pipelines and corresponding subsea structures for the Wahoo field.

These contract pipelines, after installation, will serve to connect the Wahoo field to the Frade floating production storage and transfer unit (FPSO), constituting an essential link in this large-scale project.

The management and engineering of the project in the Campos Basin will be the responsibility of the McDermott team located in Rio de Janeiro, while the installation operations will be carried out by a your vesselss specialized in laying rigid pipelines. Furthermore, the contract provides for the inclusion of an extension option for a second gas pipeline, demonstrating confidence in the partnership between PRIO and McDermott.

McDermott's expertise and preparation in the contract signed for the project in the Campos Basin

Mahesh Swaminathan, senior vice president of subsea and floating installations at McDermott, expressed confidence in the company's capabilities for this project in the Campos Basin: “This award is a reflection of our expertise in offshore installations in the region. Our proven track record in facilities subsea, state-of-the-art vessels, technical expertise and collaborative approach positions us well for the successful delivery of this project.”

Campo Wahoo and PRIO’s plans

The contract's Wahoo field is located approximately 30 kilometers north of the Frade field, which is already in production in the Campos basin, Brazil. As part of its ambitious plans to establish a production cluster through the interconnection between the Wahoo and Frade fields, PRIO submitted a development plan to the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) in December 2021.

In April 2022, the company confirmed obtaining the operating license to operate in the Campos basin, issued by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), for drilling of new wells in the Frade field. More recently, in July this year, PRIO announced the start of operation of the ODP5 well (F23P3) in the Frade field, with initial production stabilized at around 8 thousand barrels of oil per day.

These initiatives reinforce PRIO's commitment to expanding its presence and efficiency in oil and gas exploration in the region, with McDermott playing a key role in the success of this strategic venture.