SBM Offshore and Petrobras Partner to Study Carbon Capture Modules on FPSO Units

SBM Offshore and Petrobras have recently announced a collaboration to explore the application of carbon capture modules on floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units. This initiative aims to reduce overall emissions associated with oil and gas production from FPSOs, in line with SBM Offshore’s emissionZERO program.

The carbon capture module design is the result of an engineering and design study conducted by SBM Offshore and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), which has been qualified by DNV. The module incorporates MHI’s proprietary CO2 capture technology and SBM Offshore’s Fast4ward principles, offering a compact and efficient solution for capturing and reducing CO2 emissions.

As part of the agreement, the study will focus on designing and evaluating various carbon capture system configurations to be installed on future FPSOs deployed on Petrobras fields. This includes considerations such as turbine types, machinery set up, gas flow rates, CO2 concentrations, and gas composition to optimize the effectiveness of the solution.

The carbon capture technology to be utilized is MHI’s Advanced KM CDR Process, developed in collaboration with The Kansai Electric Power Company. This technology will play a crucial role in capturing and reducing CO2 emissions from FPSO operations.

Olivier Icyk, Chief Business Officer at SBM Offshore, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating, “The signature of this study demonstrates the trust that Petrobras has in SBM Offshore as an ocean infrastructure pioneer. We continue to prioritize decarbonization solutions in our product design and offshore operations. Through this study, we aim to advance the design of carbon capture modules with our partner MHI for significant CO2 reduction on future FPSOs.”

This collaboration underscores SBM Offshore and Petrobras’ commitment to sustainable practices and environmental stewardship in the offshore oil and gas industry. By exploring innovative solutions such as carbon capture modules, the partners are paving the way for a more environmentally conscious approach to FPSO operations.

Overall, the joint effort between SBM Offshore and Petrobras in studying carbon capture modules on FPSO units represents a significant step towards reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability in the oil and gas sector.