Marlim Field Development Overview
Authors: Bonesio Pedro A. , de Vasconcelos Antonio Carlos M. 
Published: October 2008

Since the discovery of the Marlim Field, in February 1984, PETROBRAS has faced several challenges in many areas of the exploitation activities. The field extension, the amount of resources required " both physical and financial resources " the development planning and execution, were some of the many points to be addressed. Besides the normal difficulties and uncertainties encountered in activities related to oil exploration, working on the edge of technological knowledge was per se a significant challenge.

This paper covers the Marlim Field development historical track addressing geological and reservoir aspects, the modular development approach, capital expenditure allocation and present status. It will also provide an overview of the technological problems faced during the field development such as: reservoir modeling, development of innovative ways and materials for mooring production units, new procedure for installing flexible lines, rigid risers, the complex interfaces between the Floating Production Units (FPUs) and their risers and mooring lines, the challenge of producing oil in low temperatures at sea bottom and other components of this giant puzzle that had to be put together in such a way that, at the end, would lead to the success of this enterprise.

Introduction

Located in the northeastern part of Campos Basin, about 110km offshore the state of Rio de Janeiro, Marlim Field is part of the Oligocene Carapebus formation and covers an area of approximately 130 Km2, in water depths ranging from 650m to 1050m - Figure 1.

The field development plan was based on various "modules" whose development had been scheduled in different periods in order to make feasible the huge investments and resources required. It also improved the overall performance of the field development once each module oriented the next ones through the experience obtained during its own development. The field development division in modules is shown in Figure 2.

The discovery time

After the seismic survey, the expectations around the future Marlim field were high but several obstacles within the company had to be overcome before a budget could be sanctioned to the wildcat well located at 853 meters of water depth.

Many reasons had contributed to that. It was mid 1984 and to think of drilling in so deep waters was too daring and much more if one was considering exploiting at those depths.

At that time, PETROBRAS, proud and astonished at the same time with its own prowess, already held the world record in subsea completion for the Piraúna field at 293 meters of water depth.

The technological obstacles were enormous and it seemed to the technical groups within the company as if we were the only ones in need of such advances.

At that time, deep water was a challenge that solely the ones with no option had to face, and this was the case. In all other sedimentary basins, the oil discovery potential was much smaller than the one seen in Campos Basin.

The oil strike in the 1-RJS-219-A in February 1985, and the formation and production tests carried out in the following months were successful. The netpay found was about 75 meters with permeability far greater than the ones imagined, standing as high as to 2 Darcies.

But the prize had its costs. The drawbacks were the unconsolidated sandstone, that per se would be a challenge, added to that were a high gravity oil (ranging from 17-21 API) and the expectation of Asphalthene and Paraffin deposits in the reservoir and flowlines.

With all this picture it was reasonable to have doubts about going ahead with the project. But the benefits were greater and the company decided to go on and now we can see that