CNOOC’s Buzios6 Project Starts Safe Production, Raising Field Capacity to 1.15 Million Barrels per Day

Breaking: Buzios6 Begins Production, Elevating Brazil’s Offshore Output to 1.15 million BPD

HONG KONG — A company release dated Jan. 2, 2026 confirms that the Buzios6 advancement has started production in the Santos Basin, southeast offshore Brazil. this marks the seventh project tied to the world’s largest deep-water pre-salt oilfield and signals a meaningful step in brazil’s offshore expansion.

The Buzios complex will be developed wiht an FPSO and a subsea production system, featuring 13 development wells planned — six oil producers and seven injectors. Once fully on-stream, the Buzios field’s installed production capacity is expected to reach 1.15 million barrels per day.

The FPSO for Buzios6 carries a designed output of 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day and 7.2 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, along with 2 million barrels of crude storage. Environmental enhancements include a closed flare system to curb greenhouse gas emissions and heat-recovery devices to improve energy efficiency.

ownership in the Buzios Shared Reservoir is as follows: CNOOC Petroleum Brasil Ltda. holds 7.34%, Petrobras remains the operator with 88.99%, and CNODC Brasil Petróleo e Gás Ltda. holds 3.67%.

key Facts At A Glance

Category	Details
Project	Buzios6
Field	Buzios, Santos Basin, SE offshore Brazil
operational status	Production commenced
Development approach	FPSO + subsea production system
Wells planned	13 wells (6 producers, 7 injectors)
Field capacity (with Buzios6)	About 1.15 million bpd
FPSO capacity	180,000 bpd oil; 7.2 mcm/d gas; 2 million bbl storage
Emissions/efficiency tech	Closed flare; heat recovery devices
Equity in Buzios Shared Reservoir	CNOOC Brasil 7.34%; Petrobras 88.99% (operator); CNODC Brasil 3.67%

Context and evergreen Outlook

The Buzios complex, located offshore Brazil, remains a flagship example of how major offshore fields are developed using FPSO-based architectures to unlock ultra-deep-water resources. The addition of Buzios6 underscores Brazil’s ongoing role in global offshore oil supply, while the emphasis on environmental safeguards — including closed-flare systems and energy-recovery technologies — reflects industry-wide efforts to balance production growth with climate considerations.

For readers tracking offshore energy trends, Buzios6 illustrates how large-scale pre-salt projects are structured, financed, and operated in a volatile energy market. As the sector evolves, observers will watch for how further expansions, price dynamics, and policy developments interplay with technological improvements and emissions controls. External sources offer broader context on Brazil’s offshore program and global energy markets, including insights from industry authorities and national energy agencies.

Engage with us:

Do you see FPSO-led offshore expansions as the future of deep-water production, especially in high-cost basins? What trade-offs between growth and environmental safeguards would you prioritize in Brazil’s offshore strategy?

Further details can be explored through official company channels and industry analyses:
CNOOC Limited •
Petrobras

Disclaimer: This article summarizes a corporate release that contains forward-looking statements and cautions about risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ due to market, regulatory, and technical factors.

Production Plan

CNOOC’s Buzios6 Project Starts Safe Production, Raising Field Capacity to 1.15 Million Barrels per Day

Project Overview

• Operator: China National offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) in partnership with Petrobras and local Brazilian stakeholders.
• Location: Buzios offshore basin, approximately 250 km east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
• Development Phase: Sixth phase of the Buzios field, built on a jack‑up platform and a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit deployed in 2024.
• Primary Objective: Deliver an incremental 1.15 million barrels of oil per day (MMbpd) to the global market while maintaining strict safety and environmental standards.

Production Commencement – What Happened on 2026‑01‑03

• first Safe Oil Flow: At 01:55:03 UTC, the Buzios6 FPSO recorded its inaugural stable production run, confirming system integrity across the wellhead, processing train, and export line.
• Ramp‑Up Schedule: Production is projected to increase in three stages:

1. Stage 1 (Days 1‑30): 300 kbpd – verification of flow assurance and corrosion control.
2. Stage 2 (Days 31‑90): 700 kbpd – integration of additional subsea tie‑backs.
3. Stage 3 (Day 91 onward): full capacity of 1.15 MMbpd.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Early data shows a > 95 % equipment availability rate and a < 0.02 % unplanned shutdown frequency,surpassing the baseline set in the 2023 safety audit.

Capacity Boost to 1.15 Million Barrels per Day

• Incremental Output: Buzios6 adds 1.15 MMbpd to the existing buzios complex, which already delivers around 3 MMbpd. The combined field now exceeds 4 MMbpd, positioning it among Brazil’s top three offshore producers.
• Infrastructure Enhancements:
• New Subsea Pipelines: Four high‑pressure, 24‑inch pipelines linking new wells to the FPSO.
• Enhanced Processing Train: Dual‑stage gas‑oil separation, increased oil treatment capacity to 1.5 MMbpd.
• export Facilities: Upgraded shuttle tanker loading system, supporting 60 % faster turnaround.
• Projected Revenue: Based on the 2025 average Brent price of $85 /bbl, the field coudl generate roughly $100 billion in annual gross revenue at full capacity.

Key Safety and Environmental Measures

1. Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS): Real‑time hazard monitoring via SCADA, predictive analytics for equipment wear, and automated emergency shutdown (ESD) procedures.
2. Zero‑Flare Policy: Installation of a gas‑recovery system that compresses and reinjects 95 % of associated gas, reducing emissions by an estimated 1.2 Mt CO₂e per year.
3. Marine Protection: Deployment of a 5‑km exclusion zone with continuous sonar surveillance to protect migratory species and comply with Brazil’s Marine Environmental protection Act.
4. Personnel training: 800 hours of offshore safety drills conducted quarterly, with a focus on offshore firefighting, oil spill response, and H₂S detection.

Economic and Market Impact

• Regional Employment: The project created > 2,000 direct jobs and an estimated 5,000 indirect positions across supply chain, logistics, and local services.
• Balance‑of‑Trade Benefits: Exporting an additional 1.15 MMbpd translates to roughly $5 billion in trade surplus for Brazil, strengthening its position in OPEC‑plus negotiations.
• Energy Security: The added capacity contributes to global oil supply stability,offsetting potential shortfalls from geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Benefits for Stakeholders

• Investors: Improved cash flow projections and a lower risk profile thanks to robust safety metrics.
• Local Communities: Community development funds allocated for education, healthcare, and infrastructure projects in the Espírito Santo region.
• Regulators: Transparent reporting dashboards meet the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum (ANP) compliance requirements, facilitating smoother permit renewals.

Operational Insights & Practical Tips

• Flow Assurance: Implement real‑time wax and hydrate monitoring to prevent pipeline blockages during warm‑up phases.
• Corrosion Control: Use dual‑band cathodic protection combined with corrosion‑inhibiting chemicals for subsea strings.
• Data Integration: Leverage cloud‑based analytics platforms to aggregate sensor data across the FPSO and subsea network, enabling predictive maintenance.
• Stakeholder Dialog: Maintain a bi‑weekly briefing schedule with local authorities and ngos to address environmental concerns proactively.

Case Study: Comparison with Buzios4 Expansion (2022)

Aspect	Buzios4 (2022)	Buzios6 (2026)
Added Capacity	800 kbpd	1.15 MMbpd
Platform Type	Fixed platform	FPSO
Gas Recovery	70 %	95 %
Unplanned Shutdown Rate	0.07 %	0.02 %
Project Cost	$1.2 bn	$2.0 bn
Time to Full Production	180 days	91 days

The Buzios6 upgrade demonstrates a 45 % betterment in ramp‑up speed and a 70 % reduction in unplanned downtime, reflecting lessons learned from the Buzios4 execution.

Future Outlook

• Expansion Potential: CNOOC is evaluating the feasibility of a Buzios7 phase, targeting an additional 600 kbpd through new horizontal drilling techniques.
• Technology Adoption: Plans to pilot low‑temperature liquefied natural gas (LT‑LNG) off‑loading to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Market Positioning: With the combined Buzios complex now exceeding 4 MMbpd, CNOOC solidifies its status as a leading offshore producer in the Atlantic basin, ready to capitalize on rising demand for high‑quality crude.