Mero-2 Begins Second Phase Production in Brazil

Petrobras began the second phase of production on its Mero project in Brazil, the company announced Jan. 2.

Located in the Libra Block, 180 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in the presalt Santos Basin, the project lies in water depths between 1,800 and 2,100 meters.

Sanctioned in 2019, “Mero-2” includes the FPSO Sepetiba, which has an operational capacity of 12 MMcm of natural gas and 180,000 bbl/d of oil. Sepetiba is part of a production system that is planning a total of 16 development wells, including eight producer wells and eight water and gas injection wells that will be interconnected to the unit. The FPSO also has CCUS capabilities designed to reduce emissions and increase efficiency.

With Mero-2 coming online, the Mero field will reach a production capacity of 410,000 bbl/d of oil. Mero-3 and Mero-4, two additional development phases producing 180,000 bbl/d of oil each, are currently under construction, with start-ups expected by 2025.

Petrobras is the operator of the field, with a 38.6% stake, with TotalEnergies and Shell Brasil each holding a 19.3% stake in the field. CNPC and CNOOC each have a 9.65% stake in the field, while and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A (PPSA) holds the remaining 3.5%.