Petrobras Starts Up P-79 FPSO Ahead of Schedule
May 3, 2026
Petrobras has begun oil production from the P-79 platform in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin, three months ahead of the date foreseen in the 2026-2030 Business Plan (PN 26-30) and five months ahead of the previous year's plan (PN 25-29).
The eighth platform in the Búzios field, with a capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil and a gas compression capacity of 7.2 million m³ per day, will increase the field's installed production capacity to approximately 1.33 million barrels of oil per day. The project will allow for the export of gas to the mainland via interconnection with the Rota 3 gas pipeline, expanding Brazil's gas supply by up to 3 million m³ per day.
Production will be gradually increased as wells are connected to the platform, following the stabilization of the unit's systems.
The P-79 FPSO is a newly designed hull equipped with technologies for emission reduction and greater operational efficiency.
The FPSO is part of the Búzios 8 Production Development project, which includes 14 wells, eight producers and six injectors, equipped with intelligent completion systems that enhance production management. The unit will be interconnected with rigid pipelines for production, injection and gas export, and flexible pipelines for service lines, allowing for the high-capacity production planned for the field's wells.
Measuring 345 meters in length and 180 meters in height (to the top of the flare), the P-79 arrived in Brazil in February from South Korea, bringing the commissioning and operations teams on board. This strategy allowed for the elimination of a stop in sheltered waters in Brazil, in addition to increased safety, reliability, and operational readiness due to the advancement of systems commissioning during transit.
The platform is the eighth in operation in the Búzios field, the largest in the country in terms of reserves, which last year surpassed the mark of 1 million barrels per day. Discovered in 2010, the field is located 180 km off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in ultra-deep waters of the Santos Basin, at a depth of more than 2,000 meters. The FPSOs P-74, P-75, P-76, P-77, Almirante Barroso, Almirante Tamandaré, and P-78, which began operating in December 2025, are currently operating in the field. FPSOs P-80, P-82, and P-83 are still under construction; and Búzios 12 is currently out for tender. In total, the Búzios field will accommodate 12 FPSOs.
The Búzios consortium, operating in the field, is composed of Petrobras (operator), its Chinese partner companies CNOOC and CNODC, and PPSA, the company managing the production sharing contracts.
