Shell proceeds with Phase 2 of Parque das Conchas project

Oct 15, 2010

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Oct. 15 -- Royal Dutch Shell PLC plans to proceed with Phase 2 of its Campos basin Parque das Conchas project, 62 miles off Brazil.

Phase 2 will develop a fourth field in Block BC-10, Argonauta O-North (OGJ, May 5, 2008, p. 54).

Shell said the full project will recover about 300 million boe at rates of about 100,000 boe/d.

Production from the first phase of Parque das Conchas started in 2009 from nine wells in three fields—Abalone, Ostra, and Argonauta B-West. Phase 2 includes seven additional development wells, which will have TDs of about 3,600 ft below the seabed.

Parque das Conchas was the first full-field development to separate and pump oil and gas from the seabed. The project has 1,500-hp electric pumps for lifting the 16-42° gravity oil from the wellheads to the Espirito Santo floating, production, storage, and offloading vessel, moored in 1,780-m of water.

The facilities on the FPSO can process about 100,000 bo/d and 50 MMcfd of gas.

Shell notes that to obtain better production rates, the fields are developed with extended reach, horizontal wells.

Operator Shell holds 50% interest in the development. Partners are Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) 35% and ONGC Videsh Ltd. 15%.

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