Perenco Brazil and Porto do Açu have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to develop the first offshore platform electrification project in the Campos Basin.
The agreement foresees supplying power from shore to Perenco shallow-water units in the Pargo and Cherne clusters via an 80-kilometer subsea cable connected to an onshore substation at Porto do Açu, located in São João da Barra, Rio de Janeiro. Under the agreement, the port complex will provide an area for the construction of Perenco’s onshore power grid connection, as well as the right-of-way for the cable, which will run from the substation area to the offshore fields.
The primary objective is to reduce carbon scope 1 emissions from Perenco’s operations in Brazil. Currently, the company’s platforms in the Pargo and Cherne Clusters rely on power generated locally by turbogenerators. The project’s initial power consumption forecast is 35 MW, with potential expansion to up to 60 MW within four years. The system is expected to become operational by the first quarter of 2028.
The offshore electrification project builds on Porto do Açu's existing track record of supplying clean energy to maritime operations. Since 2024, Vast Infraestrutura, in partnership with Wilson Sons, has been providing shore power to tugboats and support vessels berthed at Terminal 1 (T1) of Porto do Açu.
Damien Szyszka, General Manager of Perenco Brazil, said, “The Electrification Project combines Perenco’s innovative spirit with Port of Açu’s entrepreneurial drive. For the oil and gas sector, it will serve as a benchmark for initiatives towards guaranteeing energy supply by extending the productive life of assets while reducing emission levels.”
Eugenio Figueiredo, CEO of Porto do Açu, said, "The partnership with Perenco reinforces Porto do Açu's position as a catalyst for low-carbon solutions in the oil and gas sector. Offshore electrification projects of this scale are still rare globally and pave a promising way forward for the Brazilian market."