The Center for Petroleum Studies (Cepetro) inaugurated last Thursday (9) a test circuit for centrifugal pumps for oil extraction. Linked to the Research Group on Elevation and Flow Guarantee (Alfa), the equipment was built from a partnership between Cepetro and Queiroz Galvão Exploração e Produção (QGEP), operator of Block BS-4 in the Santos Basin.
Professor Antonio Carlos Bannwart, director of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and one of those responsible for the project, highlights the importance of Unicamp being involved in this project. "The main role of the university is to train highly qualified human resources to meet challenges and overcome national problems, providing society with quality technological products, such as energy", declared professor Antonio Carlos Bannwart, who also highlighted the uniqueness of the equipment. “It is a very significant university-business partnership for us. We have never done a laboratory of this size at a university. I know of several laboratories in universities around the world and there are none of this size.”
The investment by Queiroz Galvão in the construction of the laboratory was R$ 4.949.341,83, as mandatory investment in research and development resulting from the production of the Manati Field in the Camamu-Almada Basin, in the state of Bahia. The initial term of the partnership is three years, which can be extended according to the progress of the research. After this period, the pump circuit will continue at Cepetro and can be used in other research projects in the oil and gas area. The project will study new methods that facilitate the development of solutions that will help in the artificial elevation of viscous oil, the type found in the Atlanta offshore field in the Santos Basin in the state of Rio de Janeiro, which will be operated by Queiroz Galvão from February next year .
According to engineer Paulo Sérgio Rocha, reservoir manager at Queiroz Galvão Exploração e Produção, this project in partnership with Unicamp is an opportunity to carry out studies on the most suitable oil extraction methods for the region, being able to learn and evaluate possible new developments. for better use of the field. "It is important for us to promote projects that help add value to our portfolio. Oil exploration is challenging, we are pushing technology to the limit and Unicamp is helping to expand the application of these products, in this case centrifugal pumps for lifting oil" , understands Paulo Sérgio.
Built next to the premises of the 'Kelsen Valente' Petroleum Experimental Laboratory (LabPetro), the pump testing circuit will rely on the direct work of seven researchers from Cepetro. In addition to them, undergraduate, master's and doctoral students will also be involved, as well as two mechanical technicians and two technical interns who take care of the operation and maintenance of the equipment. The equipment will operate with crude oil previously analyzed in the laboratory, sent by Queiroz Galvão directly from the Atlanta Field, extracted during the pre-operational phase of the block.
The Atlanta Field is expected to officially come into operation in February 2018, in the first phase with 20 thousand barrels per day, reaching 30 thousand barrels in the medium term. Full production from wells in the region should begin in 2021, depending on the results obtained from research carried out at Unicamp on new production techniques.
