ExxonMobil signed a contract with C-Innovation, a company of the Edison Chouest Offshore group, for the chartering of an ROV capable of operating in water depths of up to 4 thousand m. The deal is aimed at the exploratory campaign that will be carried out in Brazil, in the beginning of 2021, with the Seadrill drill ship, West Saturn.
The North American company has been streamlining all contracts to guarantee the beginning of the activity, possibly even in January. The rig's contract provides for the drilling of two firm wells: one in Titã, an area in the Santos Basin purchased at the 5th Sharing Auction, and another in the C-M-789, Campos block acquired in the 15th Round.
ROV is already in Trinidad & Tobago, where West Saturn is at a standstill, undergoing minor adaptation works to meet contractual requirements.
Preparations for installing C-Innovation's ROV began in late August. The old equipment has already been removed from the rig's deck, and preparatory work on the area is being finalized.
West Saturn will travel to Brazil in November, and should arrive in the country the following month. In addition to the rig, chartered in April, and the ROV, ExxonMobil hired Baker Hughes in July to provide drilling, wireline, fluids, cementing and fishing services.
The ExxonMobil contract with Seadrill provides for the possibility of drilling another three firm wells. The new campaign will mark the resumption of exploratory activities by the oil company in Brazil, after a long fast.
West Saturn will have to be available in Brazil for three years. After the firm campaign is concluded, the unit will remain in the country without receiving a daily fee, and may be offered in other tenders. If Seadrill is able to allocate the unit to another project, ExxonMobil will need to be consulted and may exercise the preemptive right, linked to resuming the payment of the daily fee, even if the unit is stopped.
ExxonMobil operates 19 projects in Brazil, in the Santos, Campos, Sergipe-Alagoas and Ceará basins. The group has environmental licensing processes underway at Ibama for 15 assets.
In the licensing process, the oil company plans to drill 17 exploratory wells only in the Campos and Santos basins.
Source: Petroleo Hoje
