French provider of tubular solutions Vallourec has secured a contract with TechnipFMC for the supply of line pipes for a deepwater development offshore Brazil operated by Shell.
The integrated contract covers over 20,000 tons of subsea seamless premium carbon-steel line pipes, intended for risers and flowlines, as well as anti-corrosive and thermal insulated coating services for the Orca project, formerly known as Gato do Mato, located in the Santos Basin and operated by Shell Brasil.
“The Orca project is a perfect illustration of Vallourec’s ability to address the most complex technical challenges of offshore environments. This contract, which includes thermal insulation, is a first since the acquisition of Thermotite do Brasil, demonstrating the value of an integrated offering for our local customers,” said Philippe Guillemot , Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of the Vallourec Group.
“With full local production and a sustained investment strategy in recent years, it strengthens our presence in Brazil, a strategic market for our activities, and reflects our partners’ trust in our industrial expertise. ”
Gato do Mato , now Orca, is a pre-salt gas-condensate discovery that spans two contiguous blocks: BM-S-54, a concession contract entered into by Shell in 2005, and Sul de Gato do Mato, a production sharing agreement obtained in 2017.
TechnipFMC announced in March that it had won an integrated engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (iEPCI) contract with Shell for the project, worth over $1 billion.
Designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day (boepd), the project is expected to start production in 2029.