Peregrino Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) is the first heavy oil production facility moored in the Campos Basin 85 km offshore Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The field is currently one of the largest producing offshore oil fields in Brazil with a daily production capacity of 100,000 bbl of oil, 350,000 bbl of water, and 7.3 MMcf of gas.
The development of Peregrino field, operated by Statoil, provided many development challenges, namely 14°API heavy oil and high water production rates with tight dynamic connection between production streams and produced water circulation requiring specific design and operations. The first phase of the development included two drilling and wellhead platforms linked to the FPSO with two parallel production trains.
Company relied on dynamic simulation and the Life Cycle Simulator (LCS) to master the integrated field layout. The LCS was used throughout the design phase as well as for operator training and verification of Safety and Automation System (SAS).
This paper gives an outline of the Peregrino LCS and highlights the benefits of using this powerful tool for this project. The simulator model is a comprehensive and high fidelity dynamic virtual plant that includes subsea facilities (wells, electrical submersible pumps and flow lines), two wellhead platforms and FPSO topsides process and utility facilities.
In the first phase dynamic studies were performed to validate design options on wellhead platforms and safety systems. Then the dynamic simulator was interfaced with external controller software from the SAS supplier and used to commission the SAS. It was subjected to complete shut-down and start-up tests as well as equipment and instrument malfunctions thus testing SAS in all range of operation and providing a robust operator training tool.
The simulator project has provided an increased understanding of the operational challenges prior to start-up, and helped Company in the development of the Standard Operational Procedures. First production from the field was achieved in April 2011 and is expected to continue until 2040.
