In a bid to strike a balance between maximizing asset longevity and curbing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Perenco Brasil, a subsidiary of Anglo-French oil and gas player Perenco, is joining forces with Porto do Açu to bring shore power directly to its offshore fields in the Campos Basin off the coast of Brazil.
Porto do Açu and Perenco have signed a letter of intent (LOI) to develop what is being described as the first offshore platform electrification project in the Campos Basin. The initiative will link the operator’s shallow-water Pargo and Cherne clusters to shore via an 80-kilometer subsea cable, replacing local turbogenerators with a reliable grid power supply capable of scaling from an initial 35 MW up to 60 MW by early 2028.
The port complex will provide an area for the construction of Perenco’s onshore power grid connection, as well as the right-of-way for the cable, which will run from the onshore substation at Porto do Açu in São João da Barra, Rio de Janeiro, to the offshore fields.
The primary objective of this agreement, which foresees supplying power from shore to the shallow-water fields, is to reduce scope 1 emissions from Perenco’s operations in Brazil. Currently, the company’s platforms in the Pargo and Cherne clusters rely on power generated locally by turbogenerators.
Eugenio Figueiredo , CEO of Porto do Açu, commented: “The partnership with Perenco reinforces Porto do Açu’s position as a catalyst for low-carbon solutions in the oil and gas sector. Offshore electrification projects of this scale are still rare globally and pave a promising way forward for the Brazilian market.”
While the project’s initial power consumption forecast is 35 MW, there is potential for expansion to up to 60 MW within four years. The system is expected to become operational by the first quarter of 2028. The operator may also contract power from renewable sources in the open market once it is running.
Perenco will build the substation within the port complex to receive power from the grid, with the subsea cable to be connected to the central platform at the Pargo cluster, which will redistribute electricity to the operator’s satellite units through an existing interconnection network.
Damien Szyszka , General Manager of Perenco Brasil, emphasized: “The electrification project combines Perenco’s innovative spirit with Port of Açu’s entrepreneurial drive. For the oil and gas sector, it will serve as a benchmark for initiatives towards guaranteeing energy supply by extending the productive life of assets while reducing emission levels.”
The offshore electrification project builds on the Latin American private industrial port complex’s existing track record of supplying clean energy to maritime operations. Since 2024, Vast Infraestrutura, in partnership with Wilson Sons, has been providing shore power to tugboats and support vessels berthed at Terminal 1 (T1) of Porto do Açu.