Action Aimed to Remove Equipment from Operation That Could Pose Potential Risks to Extraction Units and the Environment
Seagems, a Brazilian company specializing in subsea engineering solutions, successfully completed the recovery of a flexible pipeline used in the oil chain in the Búzios Field, Santos Basin, this Friday (20). The operation, conducted preventively at Petrobras’ request, aimed to prevent potential impacts on operating units and the marine ecosystem, as the pipelines in question showed structural fragility caused by carbon dioxide (CO₂) exposure.
Previously, the pipeline had been abandoned on the seabed after being temporarily decommissioned during a pull-out and abandonment operation. Seagems was selected to recover and decommission three pipelines in this scope, with the first being the most challenging due to attached floaters. Elevated CO₂ levels had significantly reduced the pipeline’s load-bearing capacity below its original design specifications, rendering traditional recovery methods too risky due to the likelihood of rupture, even with weight compensation provided by the attached floaters.
With the collaboration of the vessels Topázio and Diamante, each vessel worked to recover the pipeline from one end, ensuring the weight was distributed and monitored within the design limits, accounting for the pipeline’s structural limitations. “This operation required advanced technical care, as the deterioration of the pipelines reduces their load resistance. The recovery was requested to ensure operational safety and prevent potential environmental damage. Our vessels, Topázio and Diamante, worked simultaneously to carry out the decommissioning with maximum efficiency and safety,” said Lucas Watanabe, Vessel Operations Manager (VOM) at Seagems.
“It was necessary to create a dedicated task force in partnership with the client, involving multiple engineering phases with significant interaction with the onboard teams. The collaboration of everyone involved was fundamental to the success of this pioneering operation, characterized by a high level of complexity,” added Marcelo Silva, Seagems’ Engineering Manager.
The initiative expands Seagems’ service portfolio and falls under its current contractual agreement with Petrobras, which identified the necessity due to a corrosion process known as SCC-CO₂ (Stress Corrosion Cracking caused by Carbon Dioxide). This process drastically reduces material durability from 20–25 years to just 5 years.
“Seagems, with its PLSVs Diamante and Topázio, successfully carried out the first recovery of an SCC-CO₂-affected pipeline in a double catenary configuration, a challenging aspect that jeopardizes pipeline integrity. This is just the beginning! In 2025, we expect to recover 66 pipelines in this scope, supporting Petrobras in this critical and challenging contingency project, preventing potential environmental impacts and disruptions to oil and gas production,” concluded Watanabe.
The other two pipelines involved in this activity will be recovered in the coming days without requiring a double catenary maneuver.
Understanding the Process
The operation took place in the Búzios Field, located in the central portion of the Santos Basin, approximately 180 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, at a water depth of roughly 1,900 meters. Mobilization began on December 10, when Seagems vessels arrived at the site to commence work, which was completed today (12/20).