Equinor begins production at Brazil’s Bacalhau field

Aries One
Oct 16
2 min read

Equinor and its partners have officially begun production at the Bacalhau field, located in the pre-salt Santos Basin off the coast of Brazil. Situated in ultra-deep water exceeding 2,000 meters, Bacalhau represents one of the largest oil and gas developments in the country — with recoverable reserves of more than 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe).

The field is developed using one of the most advanced floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessels in operation today — a 370-meter-long, 64-meter-wide unit with the capacity to produce 220,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd).

Advanced Engineering Meets Lower Carbon Operations

Bacalhau’s combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) system represents a major step forward in sustainable offshore production. By integrating power generation with waste heat recovery, the FPSO achieves an expected CO₂ intensity of around 9 kg per boe — significantly below global deepwater averages.

The field also employs advanced emission abatement measures across flaring, processing, and storage systems, setting a new industry benchmark for low-carbon, cost-efficient production at scale.

Phase 1 Development and Project Scope of Bacalhau Production

Phase 1 includes 19 subsea wells — a mix of producers and injectors — which will be brought online progressively to achieve steady-state production. MODEC, the FPSO contractor, will operate the vessel during the initial production phase, after which Equinor will assume operatorship for the remainder of the license period.

The project partners include:

Equinor (40%, operator)
ExxonMobil Brasil (40%)
Petrogal Brasil (20%) (a Galp | Sinopec JV)
Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A (PPSA) (government-managed PSA partner)

Driving Efficiency, Scale, and Value Creation

According to Anders Opedal, Equinor’s President and CEO, “Bacalhau represents a new generation of projects that bring together scale, cost-efficiency, and lower carbon intensity. With this development, we are strengthening the longevity of our oil and gas production and securing value creation for decades to come.”

This development underscores Brazil’s leadership in deepwater innovation, supported by robust regulatory frameworks and growing investment in pre-salt exploration and production.

Supporting the Future of Deepwater Projects

At Aries One, we partner with global operators, EPC contractors, and investors to deliver the next generation of offshore and deepwater developments — safely, efficiently, and sustainably.

Our expertise spans:

Consulting: Field development planning, risk assessment, and cost optimization.
Project Management: Execution oversight for FPSO, subsea, and drilling programs.
Staffing: Deployment of skilled professionals across engineering and operations.
Technology: Digital tools that enhance performance and emissions tracking.
Training: Capacity building for local workforces and operational readiness.