ABS to Class Seatrium-built FPSO Pair for Petrobras

Singaporean rig- and shipbuilder Seatrium has tapped the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) to class a pair of floating production storage and offloading units (FPSO) being built for Brazil's state-owned Petrobras, the classification society announced. 

Slated for delivery in 2029, the FPSOs P-84 and P-85 will be deployed in the Atapu and Sépia fields, located in the eastern part of the Santos Basin, approximately 200 kilometers offshore of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Each have a production capacity of 225,000cbarrels of oil per day (bopd) and gas processing capacity of 10 million cubic meters per day (Sm3 /d).

ABS noted the FPSOs are the first to be awarded following its Technology Collaboration Agreement (TCA) with Seatrium to promote increased decarbonization, digitalization and innovation in the offshore industry. Both units will incorporate technologies that aim to enhance operational efficiency and reduce the environmental impact. Features will include zero routine flaring and venting, variable speed drives and measures to control emissions and capture CO2, including an all-electric concept, which focuses on efficient power generation and increased energy efficiency to achieve a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity compared to a design which does not include such technologies.

“This is an exciting moment for the industry, and we are delighted to work with Seatrium on brand-new, state-of-the-art designs. The industry is going through tremendous change, and we are in a challenging market with limited supply and increasing demand for capacity. These new units are much needed assets that will be ready to meet the demand, support the energy transition and incorporate digitalization,” said Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman and CEO.

ABS said it will work with Seatrium to propel digital collaboration across the offshore, marine and energy sectors. This partnership is geared toward elevating lifecycle services for ongoing, completed and upcoming projects by harnessing state-of-the-art technology. Through methodological enhancements and a data-centric post-construction approach, the collaboration will promote a shift towards a Condition-based Class methodology for floating production assets. This evolution empowers asset owners with data-driven insights, enabling targeted surveys on critical areas to boost operational uptime and streamline maintenance practices.

In addition, the partnership will see Seatrium and ABS pioneer innovative approaches to drive digital transformation and operational excellence. Among the ongoing joint efforts include performing joint trials and qualifying 5G-based remote inspection solutions for EPC and Repairs & Upgrades projects in Seatrium’s yards globally to transform operational processes and enhance efficiency.

Chris Ong, CEO, Seatrium, said, “This latest collaboration is part of Seatrium’s strategy to complement our product offerings with end-to-end digital solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers globally. We look forward to working with ABS to leverage digital technology to develop innovative solutions that will help our customers optimize their operations, reduce environmental impact and drive long-term sustainable growth.”