Petrobras and its partners in the Libra Consortium will invest approximately R$151 million in the Libra Rocks project to develop innovative technologies and create conceptual geological models to be applied in Mero, Petrobras' third largest field, located in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin. Libra Rocks establishes a strategic partnership between the Consortium and the University of Brasília (UnB), the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR), and the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS).
'Libra Rocks has the potential to reduce uncertainties in the production curve, increase efficiency in reservoir management, optimize the location of new wells, and improve knowledge about the timing of CO2 entry and oil loading in the reservoir,' assesses Bruno Moczydlower, Executive Manager of Libra.
According to Bruno, the four-year project promises to transform the scientific and technological approach in the area of oil exploration and production.
The acquired knowledge can be directly applied to the business area, with the potential to increase the recovery factor and improve efficiency in reservoir management.
Among the main innovations, the use of artificial intelligence stands out for the development of algorithms capable of automating the processing of geological data. The technology will allow the construction of detailed conceptual models of the carbonate rocks in the Libra area, as well as ways to analyze rocks using methods different from those currently employed.
The initiative aims to study the origin, composition, structure, and transformation of the rocks to understand characteristics such as the distribution of pores (empty spaces) and permeability (the ability to allow the passage of fluids). Furthermore, it aims to increase knowledge about the geological evolution related to the opening of the South Atlantic, resulting from the separation between Brazil and Africa. The use of high-precision equipment and modern methods will allow for detailed analyses and more reliable results, consolidating the Mero field as a benchmark for innovation and technology in the oil and gas sector.
Another highlight is the 'Digital Rock,' which involves using ultra-high-resolution images to create 3D replicas of rock samples, expanding the ability to characterize oil reservoir rocks.
The reservoir of this field is among the most studied in Brazil due to its productive potential and technological challenges. Located at depths ranging from 5,000 to 6,000 meters below sea level, and in water depths of 1,800 to 2,000 meters, it stands out for its unique conditions, such as high salinity and high CO2 content. Its formation is mainly composed of carbonate rocks originating approximately 125 to 113 million years ago. These rocks exhibit high porosity and good permeability, characteristics that favor the storage and flow of oil. These particularities reinforce the importance of deepening studies on the rock characteristics of the region to optimize production and overcome the challenges of the sector. Furthermore, the results can generate geological knowledge with the potential to be applied in other fields of the pre-salt section of the Santos and Campos basins.
The Libra Rocks project, with investments originating from the R&D clause of the ANP (Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels), will involve the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment, the employment of more than 150 people from the aforementioned universities, including the granting of more than 90 scholarships for undergraduate research, master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral studies. This represents an important contribution to the generation and maintenance of highly specialized human resources in Brazil, the improvement of the national technological infrastructure, and the promotion of interdisciplinary interaction between geosciences and AI areas, confirming Petrobras's ongoing contribution to the encouragement of Research, Development, and Innovation in the country.
Operations in the Mero unitized field are conducted by a consortium operated by Petrobras in partnership with Shell Brasil, TotalEnergies, CNPC, CNOOC, and Pré-Sal Petróleo SA (PPSA), as the contract manager and representative of the Brazilian government in the non-contracted area.
Source: Petrobras
