Port of Açu, Perenco plan first offshore electrification project in Campos Basin

Port of Açu and oil and gas operator Perenco Brasil signed a letter of intent on Tuesday, September 22, at ROG.e to develop the first project for offshore electrification in the Campos Basin.

The agreement calls for supplying power from shore to Perenco’s platforms at the Pargo and Cherne clusters, located in shallow waters, through an 80-kilometer subsea cable connected to an onshore substation at the Port of Açu in São João da Barra, Rio de Janeiro state.

The port complex will provide an area for construction of the onshore substation, which will connect Perenco to Brazil’s main power grid, as well as right-of-way for the cable running from the substation to the offshore clusters.

The project’s main goal is to reduce Scope 1 carbon emissions from Perenco’s operations in Brazil. The company’s platforms at Pargo and Cherne currently generate their own electricity using turbogenerators.

“The partnership with Perenco confirms Port of Açu’s role as a catalyst for low-carbon solutions for the oil and gas industry. Offshore electrification projects of this scale are still rare worldwide and open a promising path for the Brazilian market,” Port of Açu CEO Eugenio Figueiredo said.

Power demand could reach 60 MW

Initial electricity demand for the project is estimated at 35 MW, with potential to expand to as much as 60 MW within four years.

The system is expected to begin operating by the first quarter of 2028. Perenco may also contract renewable electricity in the future through Brazil’s free power market.

“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 reference for initiatives aimed at energy security by extending the productive life of assets while reducing emission levels,” Perenco Brasil Managing Director Damien Szyszka said.

Perenco will build the substation at the port complex to receive electricity from the grid.

The subsea cable will connect to the central platform at the Pargo cluster, which will redistribute electricity to the operator’s other units through an existing interconnection network.

Port of Açu builds on shore-power experience

The project adds to Port of Açu’s previous experience supplying cleaner electricity to maritime operations.

Since 2024, Vast Infraestrutura, in partnership with Wilson Sons, has provided shore power to tugboats and support vessels while berthed at Port of Açu’s Terminal 1.

Source: Port of Açu

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