Exploration and Production
Chevron holds working interests ranging from 20 percent to 51.7 percent in fields spanning 178,000 acres (721 sq km). During 2010, total daily production averaged 50,000 barrels of crude oil (23,000 net).
First production from Frade was announced in 2009. The company also has a nonoperating interest in other deepwater concessions in Brazil—Papa-Terra and Maromba, in Block BC-20, northeast of Río de Janeiro, and Atlanta and Oliva, in Block BS-4, off the southeastern shore of Brazil.
Building on Success at Frade
Chevron operates and holds a 51.7 percent interest in the Frade project. The field lies in water depths of approximately 3,700 feet (1,128 m), approximately 230 miles (370 km) northeast of Río de Janeiro, in the Campos Basin. Frade is a subsea development with wells tied back to a floating production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO). Eight development wells and four injection wells have been drilled and completed as of the end of 2010. Development drilling continues with plans to add five development wells and three injection wells by the end of 2011.
Development in Papa-Terra and Maromba
Also in the Campos Basin, Chevron holds nonoperated interests in Papa-Terra and Maromba.
The Papa-Terra Field lies in approximately 3,900 feet (1,189 m) of water. Development plans at Papa-Terra call for an FPSO and a tension leg well platform with a planned total daily capacity of 140,000 barrels of crude oil. Heavier-oil production wells will lead to the platform. Lighter-oil production wells will tie back to the FPSO. Chevron holds a 37.5 percent interest in Papa-Terra.
The Papa-Terra project progressed through front-end engineering and design, and a final investment decision was announced in January 2010. Major construction contracts were awarded in early 2010, and development drilling is expected to begin in the second half of 2011. First production is expected in 2013. When complete, the project is expected to be Chevron's largest investment in Brazil.
In Maromba, field development was being evaluated in early 2011. Chevron holds a 30 percent nonoperated working interest in Maromba.
In the Santos Basin, Chevron holds a 20 percent nonoperated working interest in Block BS-4. Evaluations of the deepwater Atlanta and Oliva fields continued in 2010.
Marketing and Retail
Chevron considers Brazil a key growth market for lubricants. The company owns and operates a lubricants manufacturing plant in Río de Janeiro that produces 1 million barrels of lubricating oils each year and a plant in São Paulo that produces 15,000 tons of industrial greases and 35,000 barrels of coolants per year for the Brazilian market. In 2010, the company launched a major initiative to strengthen our network in Brazil.
Havoline® and Ursa® lubricants are recognized as leaders in the market.
Customer satisfaction, improved performance and quality management are important to Chevron. Chevron Brasil Lubrificantes Ltda. has been awarded certification from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the high-quality design, development and manufacture of oils, coolants, brake fluid, greases and lubricants. The Brazilian lubricants plant also is ISO certified.
Chemicals
Chevron's subsidiary Oronite owns and operates a manufacturing plant in Maua, near São Paulo. Oronite is a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of performance additives for fuels and lubricating oils.
Updated: March 2011
Cautionary Statement