SEATTLE (Oil Monster):Equinor has commenced drilling operations for its flagship Raia project in Brazil’s pre-salt region of the Campos Basin, marking a major step toward its planned 2028 start-up. The drilling campaign began on March 24 with the deployment of the Valaris DS-17 drillship.
Located roughly 200 kilometres offshore Brazil in waters about 2,900 metres deep, the project will include six wells and targets recoverable reserves exceeding one billion barrels of oil equivalent. Raia is considered one of Brazil’s most significant natural gas developments.
Once operational, the project is expected to export up to 16 million cubic metres of gas daily, potentially meeting around 15% of the country’s demand and strengthening national energy security. The project is operated by Equinor alongside partners Repsol Sinopec Brasil and Petrobras.
According to Geir Tungesvik, Raia represents the company’s deepest offshore development and largest ongoing project globally. The development will utilize an FPSO unit connected to subsea wells, with gas transported via a 200-kilometre pipeline to Macaé. The $9 billion project is also expected to generate thousands of jobs while maintaining low emissions intensity.
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