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Petrobras 36

Coordinates: 22°03′42″S 39°33′15″W / 22.06167°S 39.55417°W / -22.06167; -39.55417
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The semisub platform listing severely prior to its sinking in March 2001
History
Name
  • Petrobras 36
  • Spirit of Columbus (1995–2000)
OwnerMarítima
OperatorPetrobras
Builder
CostUS$350 million
Laid down1986
Acquired1995
Out of service20 March 2001
IdentificationIMO number: 8916566
FateCapsized and sank
General characteristics
Class and typeRINA (drilling and production unit, self-propelled)
Tonnage33,000 GT
Length112.78 m
Beam77.72
Height42.67 m (to main deck)
Capacity
  • Oil production: 180,000 bbl/d (29,000 m3/d)
  • Gas production: 7,200,000 m3/d (250,000,000 cu ft/d)

Petrobras 36 (P-36) was a semi-submersible oil platform. Prior to its sinking on 20 March 2001, it was the largest in the world.[1] It was owned by Petrobras,[2] a semi-public Brazilian oil company headquartered in Rio de Janeiro.[3][4]

The vessel was built at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy in 1995 as a drilling rig. It was owned then by Società Armamento Navi Appoggio S.p.A.[citation needed] The rig was converted into a 31,400-tonnes oil production platform by Davie Shipbuilding in Lévis, Quebec.[5][6] The cost of the platform conversion was over US$500 million[7] (currently over US$888 million[8]).

P-36 was operating for Petrobras on the Roncador oil field, 130 kilometres (80 mi) off the Brazilian coast, producing about 84,000 barrels (13,400 m3) of crude 45,000,000 cu ft (1,300,000 cubic metres) of gas per day.[6][additional citation(s) needed]

Accident

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In the early hours of 15 March 2001 there were two explosions in the aft starboard column at or around the emergency drain tank. The first explosion was caused by an overpressure event, the second by ignition of leaking hydrocarbon vapor.[9] At the time there were 175 people on the rig; 11 were killed. Following the explosions, the rig developed a 16° list, sufficient to allow down-flooding from the submerged fairlead boxes.[citation needed]

Marine salvage teams tried over the weekend to save the platform by pumping nitrogen and compressed air into the tanks to expel the water, but they abandoned the rig due to bad weather.[10]

The platform sank on 20 March in 1,200 m (3,940 ft) of water with an estimated 1,500 tonnes (1,700 short tons) of crude oil remaining on board.[citation needed]

Aftermath

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P-36 was replaced by FPSO Brasil, a ship-shaped floating platform leased from SBM Offshore. The FPSO started its lease contract with Petrobras in December 2002. It was demobilized in 2014. In 2007, the semi-submersible platform P-52, built in Singapore and Brazil, came into operation to further supplement production.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Fachetti et al. (2000), p. 7.
  2. ^ FABIG (2001).
  3. ^ Hilyard (2012), p. 229.
  4. ^ Petrobras (n.d.).
  5. ^ Petterson (2008), p. 4–5.
  6. ^ a b Laverty Wilson (2002), p. 9.
  7. ^ Petterson (2008), p. 4.
  8. ^ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (n.d.).
  9. ^ "Petrobras Platform P-36 Explosions, Brazil". Oil Rig Disasters. 14 April 2008. Retrieved 19 August 2010.
  10. ^ Gibb, Tom (21 March 2001). "Post mortem into rig disaster begins". BBC.

Sources

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22°03′42″S 39°33′15″W / 22.06167°S 39.55417°W / -22.06167; -39.55417

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