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• Seatrium awards ABB large order for floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels to serve the South American market;
• ABB will supply electrical and automation solutions for the topside and hullside modules of two FPSOs for end user Petrobras;
• The project marks the first offshore application of ABB’s three Is-limiter configuration.
ABB has been awarded a large order by Seatrium (seatrium.com), a global provider of marine engineering solutions based in Singapore, for the supply of electrical equipment and automation solutions on a new generation of floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels for operator Petrobras. The two vessels P-84 and P-85 will be deployed in the Atapu and Sépia fields, approximately 200 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
ABB will design and construct the topside and hullside electrical equipment, electrical substation automation and eHouses for both FPSOs. Petrobras (petrobras.com.br) will utilize the ABB Ability™ System 800xA® and IEC 61850 technologies for substation automation, which allow for seamless interoperability between Intelligent Electrical Devices and enhances operational efficiency and system reliability. In a first for Petrobras, the P-84 and P-85 vessels will also feature an all-electric concept, which focuses on efficient power generation and increased energy efficiency, by using electrically driven compressors and motors to produce 165 MW power generation capacity.
The project also marks the first offshore application of ABB’s three Is-limiter configuration which, due to the FPSOs’ high-power capacity, is vital to ensuring short circuits are managed effectively. Is-limiters are fast-acting devices that prevent damage to electrical components and reduce mechanical and thermal stress by limiting the short-circuit current before it reaches its peak value.
Constructed by ABB Singapore, the FPSO topside systems will be installed in an ABB eHouse - a prefabricated transportable substation designed to house medium voltage and low voltage switchgear, critical power equipment and automation cabinets. ABB’s Sorocaba factory located 85 kilometers west of São Paulo in Brazil will manufacture the UniGear ZS1 switchboard, which is used to distribute electric power safely and reliably in demanding applications.
“The offshore energy industry requires innovative solutions and technologies, at scale and at pace, to support an effective and secure energy market,” said Per Erik Holsten, President of ABB’s Energy Industries division. “With our ability to meet advanced technical requirements and high safety standards, along with our deep commitment to energy efficiency, we look forward to working with Seatrium on this large scale and complex project.”
The Brazilian FPSO market continues to be a growth sector for offshore energy, with potential investment estimated at $21 billion in 2026-20271, set against a global FPSO market projected to reach a value of $46.2 billion by 20332.
Construction of the P-84 and P-85 FPSOs has been ongoing since 2024, with delivery of ABB’s eHouses expected by 2027. Each vessel will have a production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil per day at a time when total global supply capacity is forecast to rise to nearly 114 million barrels a day by 2030, according to the IEA3.
ABB (abb.com) is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide.
ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its ~20,000 employees, leading technology and service expertise, ABB Process Automation helps process, hybrid and maritime industries outrun leaner and cleaner.
1. rystadenergy.com/insights/latam-energy-corner-brazil-s-rising-fpso-market
2. alliedmarketresearch.com/floating-production-storage-and-offloading-market-A07604
3. iea.org/news/slowing-demand-growth-and-surging-supply-put-global-oil-markets-on-course-for-major-surplus-this-decade
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