Oil and natural gas production in May
On May 18, 2013, Petrobras set a new pre-salt production record, with output of 322,100 bo/d. 11,000 bo/d up from the previous record of 311,500 bo/d set on April 17, 2013.
In addition to encouraging figures for pre-salt production, the company also achieved record output in Espírito Santo, with a monthly average figure of 322,700 bo/d, surpassing the previous record set in December 2011.
During May, the production of oil and LNG for all Petrobras fields in Brazil averaged 1.892 million bo/d, down 1.7% on the April figure (1.924 million barrels). Including the share operated by Petrobras for partner companies, exclusive oil output in Brazil was 1.942 million bo/d.
This drop was partly offset by the increasing contribution from pre-salt areas to consolidated output results.
In May, total output (oil and natural gas) from domestic fields was 2.267 million boe/d, down 2.1% from April. Including the share operated by Petrobras for partner companies, total output was 2.359 million boe/d.
Added to the company's output abroad, Petrobras' total oil and natural gas output in May averaged 2.500 million boe/d, down 2% from the April figure.
Scheduled shutdowns
The drop in output was due to scheduled maintenance shutdowns on platforms P-25 and P-31, in the Campos Basin's Albacora field, and on FPSO Cidade de Angra dos Reis, operating in the Campos Basin's Lula field pilot project.
FPSO Cidade de Angra dos Reis was shut down for maintenance at the same time as the Caraguatatuba Gas Processing Unit (UTGCA) was undergoing plant adjustments to ramp up processing of increasing volumes of richer gas from the pre-salt. While the FPSO was shut down, routine preventive inspections of processing plant boilers and pressure vessels were also carried out. The FPSO is now back to normal operation.
Natural Gas Production
Non-liquefied natural gas output from Petrobras' fields in Brazil was 59.722 million m3 per day, 2.702 m3 less than April. This was due to simultaneous shutdowns in the Mexilhão field and of the UTGCA in Caraguatatuba. Total gas output in Brazil, including the share operated by Petrobras for partner companies, was 66.349 million cm3 per day, no change on the April figure.
International Production
In May, total oil and natural gas output abroad was 233,345 boe/d, a 1.3% drop from April. This figure includes output of 144,303 bo/d, 1.7% down on the previous month. International natural gas output stood at 15.128 million m3 per day, 0.6% down on April.
The drop in international production was mainly due to the maintenance shutdown on the Nakika platform, in the Coulomb Field, USA.
Information to the Brazilian National Petroleum Agency (ANP)
In May 2013, total output reported to ANP was 9,040,864.09 m³ of oil and 2,169,168.76 m³ of gas. These figures correspond to the total output of concessions where Petrobras is the operator. It does not include shale, LNG and partners' output where Petrobras is not the operator.