The sucessful Extended Well Tests (EWTs) at Mero field in Libra Block, in the pre-salt layer of Santos Basin at 6,500ft water depth, launched on November 2017, became the star of the upcoming OTC Brasil to take place from October 29 to 31 in Rio de Janeiro.

Many new concepts designs were executed som 180 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro by FPSO Pioneiro, equipped to acquire dynamic data from reservoir, reinject gas production, thus minimizing CO2 emissions (44%, compared to 20% in neighbouring fields) plus the pre-launch of flexible lines to antecipate well production.

The start of the well production was antecipated by 43 days and the Pioneiro is capable of processwing up to 50,000 barrels day and 4 million cubic meters of associated gas per day.

However, technological achievements attained by Pioneiro will enable the deployment of up to 4 final production systems in coming years and each Libra system will be capable of producing up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day and will contribute safe and eficiente development of upcoming projects in the ultra-deep water O&G industry.

The consortium is led by Petrobras (40%), in partnership with Shell (20%), Total (20%) and Chinese companies CNPC (10%) and CNOOC Limited (10%). Plans include the addition of another four large FPSOs with 150,000 barrels capacity per day and some 16 wells are scheduled per FPSO (8 producers and 8 water-alternate gas injectors.

Libra, one of the largest exploration áreas in the world, is expected to produce 1.4 mmbod by 2021.