Tropical shore approach at Jaconé beach, Brazil.

The Rota 3 gas pipe line is part of a big project set out by a large oil and gas provider in Brazil. For this project, a total of 3 natural gas pipelines were constructed that run from the coast near Rio de Janeiro to a natural gas field in the Santos basin. Brownline performed the survey for the construction of the Rota 3 pipeline.

At 60 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro, a new Natural Gas Processing Unit has been built. This UPGN is capable of processing up to 21 million m3 of gas per day. In order to connect the subsea gas field to this capacity, a 305km long pipeline has to be constructed. Brownline surveyed the 1024 meter shore approach for this pipeline.

The trajectory’s entry point lies in the middle of Jaconé beach, which provides this project with the challenge of executing a shore approach in an environmentally sensitive area. The beach rocks of Jaconé are identified as a cultural and architectural patrimony, which meant that the work could only be done under very strict conditions.

The 1024 meter long trajectory was set out through a variety of soil types, ranging from hard packed clay formations to soft clay and sand at the entry and exit points. In combination with the punch out under the sea surface and working in a protected natural area, this could be a complicating factor for the drill job. By using the Drillguide Gyro Steering Tool, risks were avoided and the punch out was realized with ultimate precision within the specifications set by the customer.

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