A pair of floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels now under construction for Petrobras are to be built to ABS Class.

The sister FPSOs, currently named P-78 and P-79, underline ABS’ continued leadership in the sector, where 60 percent of all FPSOs in service are ABS Class. Both vessels will operate in Brazil’s pre-salt Buzios Field in the Santos Basin. Around 70 percent of FPSOs in Brazil are ABS Class, including 30 vessels with capacity to handle more than 100,000 barrels per day.

“There is a reason ABS is the Class of choice for the offshore industry and has been for more than 70 years. We are committed to supporting innovation and safety in both construction and operations and we are proud to use our extensive experience to support this landmark project. ABS also has deep knowledge of the Brazilian regulatory environment and the experience to support clients in achieving regulatory compliance,” said Matt Tremblay, ABS Senior Vice President, Global Offshore.

Construction of FPSO P-78 has been awarded to a consortium of Keppel Offshore and Marine and Hyundai Heavy Industries. Construction of FPSO P-79 has been awarded to a consortium of Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and Saipem. Both vessels, which are due in service in 2025, have an installed capacity to pump 180,000 barrels per day and process 7.2 million cubic meters of gas per day.

ABS has developed detailed practical guidance to assist offshore operators navigating Brazil’s unique regulatory environment. Practical Considerations for Regulatory Compliance in Brazil is designed to help floating production installations operating in Brazilian Jurisdictional Waters comply with a series of requirements that are specific and set forth by multiple local agencies.