Equinor has commenced the drilling phase for the Raia project in Brazil's Campos Basin pre-salt area, a crucial milestone as the project advances toward its planned 2028 startup.
The Valaris DS‑17 drillship.Photo: Valaris
On 24 March, the Valaris DS-17 drillship began drilling operations, which will cover six wells in the Raia area. This region is located approximately 200 kilometers offshore Brazil, in water depths of around 2,900 meters.
The drilling campaign supports the development of one of Brazil's most significant natural gas projects, with recoverable reserves exceeding one billion barrels of oil equivalent. Once operational, the project will have the capacity to export up to 16 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, potentially meeting 15% of Brazil's natural gas demand. This will make a substantial contribution to Equinor's international equity production and long-term cash flow, as well as enhancing Brazil's energy security.
The Raia project is operated by Equinor (35%) in partnership with Repsol Sinopec Brasil (35%) and Petrobras (30%). The drilling activities leverage the combined expertise of these companies in deepwater operations, drawing on previous experience from the Bacalhau field, where the DS-17 also participated in drilling.
Geir Tungesvik, Executive Vice President of Projects, Drilling, and Procurement at Equinor, stated, "Raia is Equinor's largest ongoing project and represents the deepest water depth operation in our portfolio. Together with our partners and suppliers, we are utilizing world-class technology and decades of offshore expertise. While drilling is underway, integration and commissioning activities on the FPSO are progressing smoothly, keeping us on track for a safe operational start in 2028."
The Raia development concept involves producing through wells connected to a floating production, storage, and offloading unit (FPSO). This FPSO will process the produced oil/condensate and gas, with natural gas transported via a 200-kilometer pipeline to Cabiúnas in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro state.
The project is Equinor's largest international investment to date, totaling approximately USD 9 billion. The FPSO is expected to be among the most carbon-efficient globally, with an average CO₂ emissions intensity of about 6 kg per barrel of oil equivalent. The Raia development is estimated to generate up to 50,000 direct and indirect jobs over its 30-year lifecycle.
