𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗵𝗮𝘂 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗶𝗹, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗹’𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗦𝗮𝗹𝘁

𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗵𝗮𝘂’𝘀 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗶𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 been announced, marking an important step in Brazil’s pre-salt development. Operated by 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿 in partnership with 𝗘𝘅𝘅𝗼𝗻𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹 and 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗽, Bacalhau holds an estimated 1 billion barrels of recoverable reserves. It is 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿’s largest offshore project outside Norway and the first pre-salt field in Brazil to be entirely developed by an international operator. The milestone also marks 𝗘𝘅𝘅𝗼𝗻𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹’s first upstream production in the country.

The FPSO Bacalhau, built by 𝗠𝗢𝗗𝗘𝗖, is one of the largest FPSOs to ever operate in Brazil, capable of producing up to 220,000 barrels of oil per day.

Previously known as Carcará, this area was discovered by 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘀 in 2012, located in a block acquired all the way back in 2000. Appraisal wells were subsequently drilled in 2013 and 2015. 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿 came into the picture in 2016, by acquiring 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘀’ operatorship for USD 2.5 billion, later securing the northern portion of the discovery in a production-sharing bid in 2017. Two additional appraisals were drilled to test the northern portion, and the entire area was declared commercial in late 2019.

According to 𝗘𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿, the company plans to invest USD 25 billion in the field by 2030, reflecting the start of the 30-year production life cycle.