Deep water oil gets bigger investments

Oil production increases are not a factor for greater demand on the supply boat fleet, but geography of the new production basins and installation of new floating structures creates demand for new ships.

Petrobras deployment of floating structures:

P-43 – Barracuda, in operation;
P-47 – Marlim, in operation;
P-48 – Caratinga, in operation;
P-50 – Albacora Leste, in construction;
P-51 – Marlim Sul, in construction;
P-52 – Roncador, in construction;
P-53 – Marlim Leste, in construction;
P-54 – Roncador, in design;
PRA-1 –fixed platform, pumping unit.

Data from Douglas-Westwood predict that deep water oil will increase demand for Floating Production, Storage, Overflow (FPSO) units. In the next five years 70% of the demand for FPSO will be from deep water production basins.

Petrobras has 104 floating structures operating in the Campos basin with 108 ships doing the supply operations. Thus new floating structures to be installed are demand factor for supply boats.

Fearnleys Offshore Supply, estimates a solid base for expansion for deep water oil, this indicates, from 2005 onward, a new momentum for demand and daily rates increases in the supply boat market. Ships for deep water operation are becoming hard to find. North Sea supply boats are being hired to operate in other areas, including Brazil e West Africa.