Nexans has been awarded a 33.5 million Euro contract by Petrobras (Petroleo Brasileiro SA) to develop, manufacture and supply the electro-hydraulic control umbilicals for development of the Tambau and Urugua deepwater natural gas and oil fields, located in the Santos Basin around 130 miles offshore from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The umbilicals will connect the FPSO Cidade de Santos MV20, serving the Tambau and Urugua gas and oil fields, to the subsea manifolds and then connect the manifolds to the production wells. Nexans’ specialist umbilical facility in Halden, Norway, will produce a total length of over 65 km of umbilicals, in 16 lengths, to be installed in water depth reaching 1,500 meters. The umbilicals will weigh 2,400 tonnes, which is exceptionally heavy for a subsea umbilical. Petrobras aims to develop production from the two fields within a very short time scale, so the umbilicals are being manufactured on a fast-track basis to ensure delivery for the first quarter of 2010.

“This major deepwater contract for Petrobras provides further confirmation of Nexans’ position as one of the market leaders in the subsea umbilical sector” said Krister Granlie, Managing Director of Nexans’ Submarine and Umbilicals High Voltage Business Group. “We believe the Tambau and Urugua steel tube umbilical contract is important for Nexans’position as an international supplier to Petrobras’ future subsea developments.”

Tags: Nexans, Petrobras