Petrobras began oil production from the P-78 floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel in the Búzios field on December 31, 2025.
Located in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin, the unit has the capacity to produce 180,000 barrels of oil and 7.2 million cubic metres of gas per day.
The addition of the P-78 increases the field's installed production capacity to approximately 1.15 million barrels of oil per day.
Petrobras stated the project will also expand Brazil’s gas supply by up to three million cubic metres per day through an interconnection with the Rota 3 gas pipeline.
Measuring 345 metres in length and 180 metres in height, the vessel is the seventh platform in operation at Búzios. The field is situated 180 kilometres off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in ultra-deep waters exceeding 2,000 metres.
The P-78 features technologies designed to reduce local emissions, including an exhaust gas recovery system and variable speed drives for pumps and compressors.
The project comprises 13 wells, consisting of six producers and seven injectors, all equipped with intelligent completion systems.
Petrobras president Magda Chambriard stated that the unit supports the company's 2026 goal of producing 2.5 million barrels of oil per day.
The platform was built under a contract stipulating a minimum of 25 per cent local content, with 10 topside modules constructed at the BrasFELS shipyard in Angra dos Reis.
The vessel arrived in Brazil from Singapore in October 2025. The company noted it performed commissioning and operations training during the transit, eliminating the need for a stop in sheltered waters.