Brazilian state-run oil company, Petrobras, has signed a Protocol of Intentions with the Rio de Janeiro state government to conduct joint studies to assess the feasibility of implementing an offshore wind pilot project.
According to Petrobras, the agreement establishes cooperation mechanisms, aligns the project with state programmes and policies, and stimulates actions to improve the region where the pilot project will be implemented.
“Petrobras has a track record of using intense technology to enable large maritime projects, and the execution of pilot projects is one of the tools to acquire the necessary knowledge in conjunction with the initiative of the biggest offshore wind mapping campaign in Brazil,” said Petrobras’s Energy Transition Director, Maurício Tolmasquim .
Petrobras stated that several aspects of offshore wind energy will be assessed to identify bottlenecks and technical issues. Since 2020, the company has run a campaign to measure the potential wind energy through the LiDAR technology on the autonomous repumping platform (PRA-1) in the Campos Basin.
Petrobras has the greatest potential in offshore wind projects under study in Brazil in terms of capacity filed with the Institute for the Environment and Natural Resources (IBAMA).
The company has requested the start of the licensing process for projects in ten areas with a total potential of 23 GW.
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Seven areas are in the northeast (three in Rio Grande do Norte, three in Ceará and one in Maranhão); two in the southeast (one in Rio de Janeiro and one in Espírito Santo); and one in the south of the country in Rio Grande do Sul.
The area in Rio de Janeiro stands out from all the others as it is the only one located at a water depth greater than 100 metres, where it is not possible to use fixed foundations, according to Petrobras.
The company is also carrying out studies in seven areas in partnership with Equinor, totalling a further 14.5 GW of total potential.