Petrobras has started oil production at the Búzios 8 project via the P-79 floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO)-type unit in the Búzios field, situated in the pre-salt layer of the Brazil’s Santos Basin.
The start-up comes earlier than planned in the company’s Business Plan for 2026–2030.
P-79, which arrived in Brazil from South Korea in February this year, is the eighth production platform to operate in the Búzios field. The FPSO is capable of processing 180,000 barrels (bbl) of oil and compressing 7.2 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas each day.
The addition raises Búzios field’s total installed oil production capacity to about 1.33 million barrels per day (mbbl/d).
The Búzios 8 project is also expected to enhance Brazil’s gas supply by up to 3mcm daily through an interconnection with the ROTA 3 gas pipeline.
The P-79 FPSO arrived at its destination carrying commissioning and operations teams. According to Petrobras, this transit removed the need for a stop in sheltered Brazilian waters and contributed to improvements in safety, reliability and operational readiness by enabling system commissioning to advance while en route.
The FPSO’s design aims to enhance operational efficiency and reduce emissions.
As part of the Búzios 8 Production Development project, the platform is linked to 14 wells. The development includes eight producers and six injectors, each featuring intelligent completion systems for optimised production control.
The unit will use rigid pipelines for production, injection, and gas export, while flexible pipelines are designated for service lines, supporting the planned high-capacity production from the field’s wells.
Discovered in 2010, the Búzios field is located 180km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in the ultra-deep waters of more than 2,000m. It is said to be the world’s largest deep-water pre-salt oilfield.
The field is operated by a consortium that includes Petrobras as the operator, with CNOOC and CNODC as Chinese partners. PPSA oversees the management of production-sharing agreements within the consortium.
Last year, Búzios surpassed an output of 1mbbl/d.
Existing operations at Búzios apart from the new vessel include FPSOs P-74, P-75, P-76, P-77, Almirante Barroso, Almirante Tamandaré, and P-78, which began operating in December 2025.
Additional FPSOs, encompassing P-80, P-82, and P-83, are under construction, and a contract for Búzios 12 is under consideration.
When all units are completed, the field will have 12 FPSOs in total.
In January 2026, Petrobras and its partners initiated oil production at the Búzios 6 project via the P-78 FPSO unit in the Búzios field.
