ABB supplies complete electrical system for new Petrobras vessel

April 27, 2023

ABB has won a large order from Sembcorp Marine Ltd, a global provider of innovative engineering solutions to the offshore, marine and energy industries with headquarters in Singapore, to deliver the complete electrical system automation for a floating production storage and offloading facility for Brazilian oil and gas producer Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. Financial details of the contract were not disclosed.

The P-82 FPSO will be one of the largest vessels to be deployed in the Búzios field, an ultra-deepwater oil and gas field covering an area of 853 square kilometers in the Santos Basin, around 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

ABB is supplying both the topside and hullside electrical systems for P-82, providing seamless project integration. The topside systems will be installed in an ABB eHouse solution – a prefabricated, modular substation that reduces costs, risk exposure and on-site work because all components are wired, tested and commissioned before shipment to the yard.

Once operational, the facility – which receives fluids from a subsea reservoir before separating them into crude oil, natural gas and water within topside facilities onboard – will have the capacity to produce 225,000 barrels of oil per day and process 12 million cubic meters of gas per day.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with Sembcorp Marine to deliver this integrated solutions order,” said Brandon Spencer, President of ABB Energy Industries. “We have a proven record in electrical and automation solutions for FPSOs both in Brazil and worldwide. This project aligns with our own commitment to reduce the emissions footprint of existing hydrocarbon infrastructures as we balance the needs of the energy transition with rising consumption demands, especially in developing economies.”

Petrobras plans to deploy 18 FPSO vessels offshore Brazil in the next four years – making up nearly half of all global FPSOs. These new-generation vessels, of which P-82 is one of the first, will be characterized by high production capabilities and emission-reduction solutions, such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). Collectively, these vessels are expected to have a production capacity of approximately 2.8 million barrels per day.

A report by ABB in 2022 revealed how the implementation of electrification, automation and digital technologies that enable a move to minimally crewed operations in FPSOs could reduce carbon emissions by up to 320,000 tons per site per annum – the equivalent of taking up to 160,000 passenger cars off the road.  

The global FPSO market was valued at $12 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach $20 billion in 2027, according to a report by The Insight Partners in November 2022.

ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, and leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps customers in the process, hybrid and maritime industries improve the performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

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ABB is a technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. The company’s solutions connect engineering know-how and software to optimize how things are manufactured, moved, powered and operated. Building on more than 130 years of excellence, ABB’s ~105,000 employees are committed to driving innovations that accelerate industrial transformation. www.abb.com