Petrobras revives Brazilian yard, strengthens FPSO partnerships with China

30 Apr, 2025

Petrobras, Brazil's state-run oil giant, is intensifying its focus on the offshore sector through an expansion of its FPSO (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading) projects. CEO Magda Chambriard has initiated high-level meetings with senior executives from prominent Chinese shipyards, further solidifying Petrobras' international partnerships. These discussions, held at the Brazilian Embassy in Beijing, are aimed at deepening cooperation for the construction of FPSOs, essential for Brazil’s offshore oil fields, especially the Buzios, Marlim, Atapu, and Sepia fields. With 12 FPSOs planned for Buzios, Petrobras is looking to Chinese shipyards for support to meet its ambitious development targets.

This strategic push also comes as Petrobras looks to strengthen its domestic and international shipyard capabilities. The need for advanced FPSOs to extract oil from ultra-deepwater reserves has led the company to increase collaboration with Chinese partners, given the capacity and expertise in fabrication. While Petrobras has traditionally relied on local shipyards for some projects, the increasing scale and complexity of offshore oil production have made collaboration with international shipbuilders a necessity.

The new partnerships are vital in ensuring Petrobras can maintain a steady supply of FPSOs to meet its aggressive growth goals. As the company explores expanding its own domestic shipyard infrastructure, the collaboration with Chinese shipyards is positioned to help Petrobras navigate the growing demand for specialized offshore production units. This collaboration marks a critical step in the company’s strategy to ensure a competitive edge in the global oil and gas sector.

Related News

Interview