OREANDA-NEWS. Petrobtras signed two contracts for the construction of the modules for the oil and gas production and processing plant and for the integration (module installation on the hulls) of two units. The contracts are for FPSOs (floating units that produce, store, and offload oil and gas) P-74 and P-76, which are intended for use in the Transfer of Rights fields located in Santos Basin's pre-salt region.

The contract signing event for the P-74 was held at the Federation of Industries of Rio Grande do Sul (Fiergs) and was attended by governor Tarso Genro; the CEO of Petrobras, Maria das Gracas Silva Foster; and by CFO and Investor Relations Director, Almir Barbassa; by the Director for Exploration and Production, Jose Miranda Formigli; Downstream Director, Jose Carlos Cosenza; Gas and Energy Director, Alcides Santoro, and by the Director for Engineering, Technology and Materials, Jose Antonio de Figueiredo. The contract for P-76, meanwhile, was signed at Edificio Torre Almirante, in Rio de Janeiro, and the event was attended by Petrobras executives.

The contracts contain local content clauses (hiring of domestic equipment and services) ranging from 65 percent to 71 percent. For platform module construction, the contracts foresee a local content index of 65 percent for assembly services, 65 percent for detailing engineering services, 65 percent for management services, and 71 percent for material supply. Services for module installation and integration to the hull will also have 65 percent local content.

The construction and integration of the modules for the P-74 and P-76 will create about 4,500 direct and indirect jobs in the Sao Jose do Norte (state of Rio Grande do Sul) and Pontal do Parana (state of Parana) regions, where the integration shipyards that will perform the services are located.

The contract period is 42 months. The P-74 is expected to produce its first oil in the second half of 2016, while the P-76 in the second half of 2017.

FPSO P-74 will be the first platform completed for the exploration of the pre-salt fields located in the Transfer of Rights region, and P-76, the third. The platforms will be capable of producing up to 150,000 barrels/day and of compressing 7 million cubic meters of natural gas/day each and are scheduled to operate in the Franco 1 (P-74) and Franco Sul (P-76) fields, in the Santos Basin.