Mero Revolutions: countering CO2 in pre-salt Brazil?
The super-giant Mero field in pre-salt Brazil is not like its predecessors. While prolific, it has a 2x higher gas cut, of which c45% is corrosive and environmentally unpalatable CO2….
New Risers for pre-salt Brazil?
Petrobras has patented next-generation riser designs, to handle sour-service crude from pre-salt Brazil. This is needed after prior cases of riser-failure, e.g., at Lula. Its new solution could also support…
Pre-Salt Brazil: FPSO Tracker
This data-file tracks the construction progress of 30 FPSOs that are being deployed in the Brazilian pre-salt oil province. In each case, we quantify the vessel’s oil and gas handling…
The Amazon tipping point theory?
…international diplomacy. Inflammatory statements? In September-2019, Bolsonaro defended his environmental policies in a speech at the UN General Assembly. International critics were accused of assaulting Brazil’s sovereignty. Brazil considers itself…
Mero Revolutions: countering CO2 in pre-salt Brazil?
Petrobras, Shell, TOTAL and two Chinese Majors are pushing the boundaries of deep-water technology to develop the Mero oilfield. But the distribution of possible NPV outcomes is very broad, at…
Vehicle fleets: service life and retirement age by vehicle type?
…to China’s Hainan Airlines (5.1-years), Saudia (5.1-years), Sichuan Airlines (5.7-years) and Brazil’s Azul Linhas (6.0-years). Likewise, the excellent “global bus survey” notes that the age of the average bus in…
Energy Technologies and Energy Transition
…(Mar-2020, 21-pages) Johan Sverdrup: Don’t Decline? (July-2019, 15-pages) Guyana: will low carbon credentials lower capital costs? (Oct-2019, 17-pages) Mero Revolutions: countering CO2 in pre-salt Brazil? (Aug-2019, 16-pages) Can technology revive…
Development Concepts: how much CO2?
…Brazil and offshore Norway. Infill wells, tiebacks and FPSOs make the most efficient use of construction materials per barrel of production. Fixed leg platforms are higher, then gravity based structures,…
World food production: energy breakdown by crop by country?
…by country-region. Brazil produces 4x its own calorific needs. The US produces 3x. Europe produces 1.1x. But emerging Asia is only 0.7x. Africa is only 0.5x. Alleviating food shortages may…
Bio-coke: energy economics?
…facilities are likely operating with scales of tens of kTpa. One of the larger operations today, situated in Brazil, makes 600kTpa of ‘zero carbon’ steel, which itself requires 50,000 hectares…