What happens to the Amapá oil ship after the end of drilling on the seabed

A 140 meter long structure with a 64 meter high tower dominates the maritime horizon on the coast of Amapá. This is the NS-43 drillship, responsible for recent hydrocarbon research in the FZA-M-59 block, in the Foz do Amazonas basin, and which is about to end its passage through the state after confirming three oil finds in the same well.

Before startup, the equipment goes through the technical process known as "abandonment", which consists of isolating and plugging the well to ensure the environmental safety of the area.

In an interview with Rede Amazônica, petroleum engineer Artur Schlinker explained how the vessel's internal mechanics work and the central role of the drilling tower during work on the seabed.

"The drilling tower is nothing more than a sequence of steel tubes with a drill at the end. These drills are responsible for drilling from the seabed. All the tools that we use during drilling, everything happens from this tower. It is there that we assemble, descend and assemble to finish the well and collect the information necessary for the operation", detailed the engineer.

The result obtained in block FZA-M-59 caught the attention of technicians due to the presence of three reservoirs in a single drilling. However, Schlinker considers that the declaration of commercial viability of the area still requires new studies and additional drilling in the Equatorial Margin.

"It is not common, it is an exceptional result. With the information from these three detected intervals, we will define the next wells that will be drilled in the FZA-M-59 block and, perhaps in the future, declare commercial viability. It is still early, we need to drill the other wells to determine the potential of the region", he stated.

With the completion of the plugging of the Amapá well in the next few days, the probe will sail towards the coast of Rio Grande do Norte, where it will begin new drilling work planned by Petrobras.

About the Equatorial Margin

The Equatorial Margin is an extensive maritime strip located on the northern coast of Brazil, between Amapá and Rio Grande do Norte. The region is considered one of the main oil exploration frontiers in the country and encompasses several sedimentary basins, including the Foz do Amazonas Basin.

In recent years, the area has started to attract interest from the oil industry due to its geological potential similar to that found in neighboring countries on the African Atlantic coast, where important oil discoveries have been recorded.

The region is also at the center of environmental debates about the impacts of oil activity and the requirements for licensing operations.