8
Prysmian Group Insight
GLOBAL SCENARIO
During the last few years, offshore
oil extraction activity has been
constantly increasing. New platforms
are continuously being installed
in different parts of the world and
operate in deeper and deeper
waters. The safe and efficient
interconnection from the topside
platforms and vessels to the well
heads and pumps on the seafloor
is necessary to transfer power and
data, as well as hydraulic fluids to
guarantee reliable oil extraction
operations. Subsea Umbilicals,
Risers and Flowlines form this vital
link among the various centres
of operation of the rig. They
must be able to withstand high
mechanical and chemical stresses,
high operating temperatures and
pressures in order to ensure the
continuous and reliable supply of
services in the harsh environments
below the sea.
As Prysmian has just been awarded
a major contract for Umbilical
products for offshore
extraction by Petrobras, we asked
Darcio Rossi Jr. (Sales Director
– SURF South America) to focus
on Brazil, where Prysmian has
had a presence since 1929 and
today boasts six plants and one
R&D centre, with more than 1,000
employees. Rossi points out that in
recent years Prysmian Group Brazil
has made significant progress in
this sector, opening a new plant in
Vila Velha, in the state of Espírito
Santoin 2007. The plant represents
an investment of approximately
$45 million and is dedicated to the
production of Umbilicals, intended to
connect wells and subsea equipment
to offshore oil industry platforms.
In detail, Rossi states
that Prysmian’s umbilicals
“suit static and dynamic
applications in water depths
of up to 2,500 metres and
are composed of nearly
any possible combination
of hydraulic lines,” while
the Group’s plants are “also
able to supply umbilicals
structures with electrical
and optical cores and the
high-pressure thermoplastic
hoses made in-house“.
“Our products have been designed
and developed according to the
most recent requirements, while
our comprehensive laboratories
can test and evaluate our designs
according to customer specifications
and international standards, such as
API17B and API17J,” Rossi says.
Later, the Group further expanded
its product range by launching the
production of flexible pipesused for
offshore oil production. Specifically,
these technologies cover a wide
range of Dynamic Risers and Static
Flowlines (pipes and flexible pipes
for oil extraction from the seafloor)
which can be installed at water
depths of up to 1,500 metres.
In order to effectively face the
expansion into this new market
in Brazil, Prysmian has allocated
investments of approximately
$125 million for the construction of
thenew flexible pipes plant in Vila
Velha, close to the previous one
for umbilicals. The factory, with
a covered area of 15,000 square
metres, has a production capacity
of approximately 150km of flexible
pipes per year.
Starting flexible pipe production,
alongside umbilicals, has allowed
the Group to offer a comprehensive
range of SURF products and services
to OGP operators and contractors,
confirming its strategic commitment
to invest in value-added business,
with high profitability, levels of
technology and know-how.
Prysmian supports the entire
Oil, Gas & Petrochemical industry
Interview with Darcio Rossi, Sales Director – SURF South America
State-of-the-art cable systems and dedicated Business Units
including Subsea Umbilicals, Risers and Flowlines
