Identec Solutions' Crew Companion makes a splash in Brazilian waters

Crew Companion, an e-mustering and POB solution from Identec Solutions, is becoming popular among the leading FPSO operators in Brazil and Guyana.

The oil and gas industry in the Brazil-Guyana basin has become a major focal point of global energy investments, driven by significant offshore discoveries and the region's rising prominence in global energy markets. Brazil, with its vast offshore reserves, has maintained a strong position as one of the world's top oil producers. Petrobras, the state-run oil company, remains a dominant player, spearheading the exploitation of Brazil's pre-salt oil fields. These deepwater reserves have been a cornerstone of Brazil's oil boom, with production in 2023 reaching record levels, exceeding 3 million barrels of oil per day (bpd). This growth has been fueled by increasing efficiency in offshore operations and partnerships with international oil majors like Equinor, Prio, Trident, and Enauta.

In Guyana, oil production has rapidly transformed the country's economic landscape since the discovery of vast offshore reserves in the Stabroek Block. ExxonMobil, leading a consortium including Hess Corporation and CNOOC, has been the key driver behind Guyana's emergence as one of the world's fastest-growing oil producers. By 2023, Guyana's production capacity exceeded 400,000 bpd, with projections to reach over 1 million bpd by 2027. The ongoing success of these developments has made Guyana a focal point for global energy players, attracting billions in foreign direct investment and securing its place as a significant oil exporter.

"Geopolitically, the region's burgeoning oil output is shaping energy security discussions. Brazil and Guyana have become critical suppliers of crude, particularly to markets in the United States, Europe, and Asia, at a time when global energy demand is rebounding post-pandemic", says Jake van den Dries, an HSEQ consultant with Brazilian-based company WSB Advisors. Both countries are also aligning efforts to ensure regulatory frameworks and environmental standards keep pace with production growth, given concerns over the environmental impacts of deepwater drilling and carbon emissions.

Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) units have become the backbone of oil and gas operations in the deepwater fields off the coasts of Brazil and Guyana. These highly complex vessels are pivotal for offshore production, enabling companies to extract, process, and store oil in remote, ultra-deepwater environments where traditional infrastructure is not feasible. Brazil is home to one of the world's largest fleets of FPSOs, with Petrobras leading the way in utilizing these platforms to unlock the country's pre-salt reserves. In 2023, Brazil had over 50 FPSOs in operation, with several more under construction, reflecting the growing demand for offshore production capabilities.

Guyana, a newcomer in the FPSO arena, has rapidly scaled up its FPSO deployment to support its burgeoning oil output. ExxonMobil's Liza Phase 1 and 2 projects in the Stabroek Block are already serviced by two FPSOs—the *Liza Destiny* and *Liza Unity*. Additional units, such as the *Prosperity* FPSO, are expected to come online in the next few years to further expand the country's production capacity. With planned expansions and the forecasted growth of oil production in both Brazil and Guyana, the demand for FPSO units is set to increase, presenting a promising outlook for the FPSO market.

Global FPSO operators such as SBM Offshore, MODEC, and Yinson are heavily involved in both countries, securing long-term contracts and ramping up the construction of next-generation FPSO units. The adoption of more advanced technologies, including digitalization and automation, is also set to enhance the operational efficiency and environmental sustainability of these floating units.

"E-mustering systems like Identec Solutions' Crew Companion play a critical role in enhancing the safety and efficiency of FPSO operations", says van den Dries. Given the complexity and remote location of offshore environments, ensuring the real-time tracking and management of personnel on board (POB) is essential for both operational integrity and emergency preparedness. "Crew Companion provides a digital POB system that enables accurate, automated tracking of personnel, allowing operators to know precisely who is on the vessel at any given time. In the event of an emergency, the e-mustering system streamlines the process of accounting for all crew members, reducing response times and ensuring a safer, more organized evacuation if necessary", says Jake van den Dries. Additionally, it enhances day-to-day operational efficiency by optimizing crew logistics and reducing manual paperwork, contributing to improved compliance with regulatory requirements and ensuring the smooth functioning of offshore operations. This system is especially vital for large-scale FPSOs, where managing personnel safely and efficiently is a top priority. Companies like MODEC, Petrobras and Equinor already use Crew Companion as their e-Mustering system on some of their vessels.

Moreover, with new fields being discovered, particularly in Brazil's pre-salt layer and Guyana's deepwater blocks, the FPSO market in the region is poised for sustained growth well into the next decade.

This expansion represents significant opportunities for the FPSO industry, with both Brazil and Guyana becoming key hubs for FPSO operations. As these countries ramp up production, they are likely to drive further investments in FPSO infrastructure, contributing to the global energy supply while setting new standards for offshore production technology.

About Crew Companion

Crew Companion uses personnel tags that are easily worn above or beneath clothing. It delivers real-time visibility of personnel to maximise safety, security and productivity at offshore assets and onshore plants. The reliable and robust design of the system draws on decades of on-the-job experience and close collaboration with the industry, providing you with a solution that exceeds the most stringent regulatory requirements.

A fully scalable and customisable solution, Crew Companion allows you to add and remove mustering and other zones with minimum effort. Several thousand tags can be added to the system making it very scalable to fit your individual needs. It is easy to install and maintain all areas of your installation, including red zones. It is the only system on the market that is intrinsically safe and doesn’t require heavy steel enclosures to meet ATEX requirements.

Link: https://www.identecsolutions.com/crew-companion-for-safe-exploration

About Identec Solutions

At IDENTEC SOLUTIONS we are engineering ideas to improve efficiency in the Industrial Internet of Things. Our wireless solutions keep people safe, make teams work better, deliver valuable insights and eliminate wastefulness - even in harsh environments. That's why the world's biggest and most productive ports, mines, energy operators, automotive suppliers and carmakers trust us to help them better utilise the resources they have. 

IDENTEC SOLUTIONS is headquartered in Austria with regional offices in Australia, the USA, Norway, Germany and sales representatives in the UK. www.identecsolutions.com