Sergipe Deepwater Project Reinforces Expansion of Gas Supply in Brazil
SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Last week, the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the Energy Research Company (EPE) released the Natural Gas Booklet of the Ten-Year Energy Expansion Plan 2035 (PDE 2035). The document projects a significant increase in national gas production, driven mainly by the pre-salt layer and new initiatives with offshore processing, such as the Sergipe Deepwater Project (Seap).
Considered one of the most anticipated projects in the Brazilian energy sector and seen as transformative for the Sergipe economy, Seap has been closely monitored by the State Government, through the State Secretariat for Economic Development and Science and Technology (Sedetec). The head of Sedetec, Valmor Barbosa, states that the State has been concentrating efforts to attract industries that use gas from Seap. “The arrival of royalties and the flow of gas will open opportunities for the installation of new industrial plants and other energy-intensive ventures, such as the possible thermoelectric generation to supply a data center, for example,” he highlights.
The project, whose start date for operations was recently confirmed by Petrobras for 2030, should contribute to the country’s natural gas surplus. According to the PDE study, net natural gas production should grow by 95% and potential supply by about 85% by 2035. In this context, the Seap project stands out, structured in two operational modules in the Sergipe-Alagoas Basin and with the capacity to process 120,000 barrels of oil per day and up to 12 million cubic meters of gas daily. The project also includes the implementation of a gas pipeline with the capacity to transport up to 18 million cubic meters of gas per day, significantly expanding the transportation infrastructure and the national energy supply. Petrobras reinforced its commitment to maintaining the start date for operations of the Sergipe Deep Water pipeline during the official presentation of its 2026-2030 Business Plan.
In the state-owned company’s planning, the Sergipe pipeline is seen as the connection that will bring a new source of natural gas to the Northeast and other regions of the country, strengthening market competition and reducing dependence on LNG and imports. Part of the gas produced in the Sergipe pipeline should supply thermoelectric plants, fertilizer units, and high-energy-consuming industries, while another portion should expand market supply through firm or seasonal contracts, giving the state-owned company more commercial flexibility. The company also believes that the pipeline can stimulate new private investments in infrastructure.
Project Progress
At the end of November, Petrobras validated the technical proposal from the Dutch company SBM Offshore to build and operate the two floating production, storage and offloading vessels (FPSOs), which will be responsible for oil and gas production in the Seap I and Seap II modules. The company submitted the most competitive proposal, standing out from the bidders Shapoorji (India) and Modec (Japan). The entire progress of the Seap project continues to be closely monitored by the Government of Sergipe, which maintains constant coordination to ensure its progress.
Courtesy: www.brazilenergyinsight.com