Petrobras 78 (P-78), the first of the six P-Series floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units that Seatrium built for Brazil’s Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras), has achieved first oil production on Dec 31, 2025.
First oil refers to the official start of production as hydrocarbons are initially fed into the vessel's processing facilities. During the process, a well is opened and hydrocarbons start flowing. Oil flows through the subsea lines, which then passes through the risers, and subsequently to the FPSO, which begins production.
According to Seatrium, this marks the group’s successful expansion of its end-to-end engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) capabilities to include offshore commissioning for FPSO vessels.
The milestone also marks the final phase of offshore commissioning works leading to the final acceptance of the vessel by Petrobras.
“This is a proud moment for Seatrium – the P-78 achieved first oil in record time, a testament to the agility of our One Seatrium Global Delivery Model and our ability to evolve alongside our customers’ needs to consistently deliver complex, high-quality vessels safely and efficiently,” says Marlin Khiew, executive vice president of Seatrium Energy (Americas).
“This would not have been possible without the continued trust and partnership from Petrobras, as we take the experience and learnings from P-78 to complete our five remaining P-Series FPSO projects, each showcasing innovative sustainability features to support Petrobras’ decarbonisation journey,” he adds.
See also: Nam Cheong sells vessel for US$20.5 mil, increasing earnings and recycling capital
The P-78 is Seatrium’s 37th FPSO project delivered to Petrobras. It is deployed in the Buzios field in the Santos Basin located about 180 to 230km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The P-78, which is permanently moored at a water depth of around 2,100m, is one of the largest FPSOs ever delivered to Brazil.
The FPSO is designed to produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day and 7.2 million cubic metres of gas per day. It also has a minimum crude oil storage capacity of 2 million barrels.
Through the six P-Series FPSO projects Seatrium is building, which includes the P-78, Brazil will gain another 1.305 million barrels of oil per day of production capacity.
Shares in Seatrium closed 1 cent higher or 0.46% up at $2.17 on Jan 2.
