MODEC has built one of the strongest operating records in the offshore production sector. Since 1998, the company has accumulated more than 350 cumulative years of FPSO operations, delivered 53 offshore production units, and established itself as a global leader in EPCI execution and long-term FPSO operations and maintenance. 

The largest FPSO projects by MODEC are FPSO Errea Wittu, FPSO Bacalhau, FPSO Guanabara MV31, FPSO Carioca MV30, and FPSO PSVM. Currently, MODEC has four FPSOs under construction, including FPSO Hammerhead, FPSO Gato do Mato, and FPSO Raia.

The article explores these FPSO projects in detail, covering production capacity, water depth, contract structure, and MODEC’s role across the project.

List of Top 5 Largest MODEC FPSO Projects (according to oil production capacity)

FPSO Errea Wittu (Uaru Project, Guyana)

Errea Wittu is MODEC’s largest upcoming FPSO project and one of its most technically advanced FPSOs to date. The new-build FPSO is being developed for ExxonMobil Guyana as part of the Uaru development, the fifth offshore project in the prolific Stabroek Block. Named “Errea Wittu,” meaning “abundance”, the vessel will integrate production from the Snoek, Mako, and Uaru fields. It will be deployed around 200 kilometers offshore Guyana in ultra-deep waters of approximately 1,690 meters. 

Designed on MODEC’s M350™ new-build hull, FPSO Errea Wittu features a storage capacity of 2 million barrels of crude oil and a robust production profile of 250,000 barrels of oil per day. The topsides are engineered to handle 540 million cubic feet per day of associated gas, 350,000 barrels per day of water injection, and 300,000 barrels per day of produced water, making it one of the highest-capacity FPSOs ever deployed in Guyana.

The unit will be moored using a SOFEC spread mooring system, ensuring stability and reliability in harsh offshore conditions. Engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) are being executed by Offshore Frontier Solutions (OFS), a MODEC Group company and joint venture with Toyo Engineering.

Beyond construction, MODEC will also provide operations and maintenance (O&M) services for a 10-year period following first oil. The project has progressed ahead of schedule, with hull block assembly completed 40 days early and key milestones such as keel laying and hull sailaway already achieved. The project reached final investment decision (FID) in April 2023 and is scheduled for first oil in 2026.

FPSO Bacalhau (Bacalhau Field, Brazil)

FPSO Bacalhau is the largest operating floating production and storage unit by MODEC and ranks among the largest FPSOs ever delivered to Brazil. The new-build FPSO is deployed at the Bacalhau field (formerly Carcará), located in the BM-S-8 and Carcará North blocks in the Santos Basin, around 185 kilometers offshore São Paulo state.

In January 2020, MODEC signed a Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Equinor covering front-end engineering design (FEED) and pre-investment activities. Following the final investment decision, MODEC was formally awarded the EPCI contract in June 2021, along with operations and maintenance services for the first year of production.

After this initial period, Equinor assumes operatorship through the end of the license period in 2053. The FPSO is anchored using a SOFEC spread mooring system and permanently moored in ultra-deep water at approximately 2,050 meters. The vessel supports Equinor’s largest international oil development and achieved first oil in October 2025.

FPSO Bacalhau features a large topside capable of producing 220,000 barrels of oil per day, processing and reinjecting up to 530 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, and injecting 200,000 barrels of seawater per day. The vessel offers 2 million barrels of crude oil storage, enabling stable operations far from shore.

FPSO Bacalhau is the first application of MODEC’s next-generation M350™ hull, a full double-hull, new-build design engineered to support larger topsides, increased storage capacity, and an extended service life compared with conventional VLCC-based FPSOs.

FPSO Guanabara MV31 (Mero Field, Brazil)

FPSO Guanabara MV31 is owned and operated by MODEC and leased to Petrobras under a long-term charter. The converted FPSO is deployed at the Mero field (formerly Libra) in the Santos Basin, one of the largest offshore oil discoveries globally. Located approximately 180 kilometers offshore Rio de Janeiro in water depths of around 2,100 meters.

MODEC was responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction, mobilization, and installation of FPSO Guanabara MV31, covering both the topsides processing facilities and the hull and marine systems. The vessel is leased to Petrobras on a 22-year time charter, under which MODEC retains ownership and continues to provide full operations and maintenance (O&M) services.

FPSO Guanabara MV31 is designed to process up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day, handle 424 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, and inject 225,000 barrels of water per day, with a crude oil storage capacity of 1.4 million barrels. 

The project has 100% gas reinjection capability, supporting reservoir pressure maintenance while significantly reducing flaring and operational emissions. The FPSO achieved first oil in April 2022 and remains in active operation.

FPSO Carioca MV30 (Sépia Field, Brazil)

FPSO Carioca MV30 is owned and operated by MODEC and leased to Petrobras under a long-term time charter. The FPSO is deployed at the Sépia field in the Santos Basin’s prolific pre-salt region, approximately 200 kilometers offshore Rio de Janeiro, at a water depth of around 2,200 meters.

MODEC was responsible for the engineering, procurement, construction, mobilization, and installation (EPCI) of FPSO Carioca MV30, covering the conversion of the hull, topsides processing facilities, and all marine systems. Under the contract structure, MODEC retains ownership of the vessel and provides full operations and maintenance (O&M) services throughout the charter period.

Technically, the FPSO is designed to process up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day, handle 212 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, and inject 240,000 barrels of water per day, with a crude oil storage capacity of 1.4 million barrels. The unit achieved first oil in August 2021, triggering the start of a 21-year time charter with Petrobras.

FPSO PSVM (Block 31, Offshore Angola)

FPSO PSVM was delivered by MODEC under an EPCI contract and remains one of the company’s landmark deepwater FPSO projects in West Africa. MODEC was awarded a frame agreement by BP in 2008 for the supply of the FPSO for the PSVM Development, which covers the Plutão, Saturno, Vênus, and Marte fields in Block 31 offshore Angola.

The FPSO was created through a conversion project, with MODEC responsible for the full scope of EPCI. The unit is designed for deployment in ultra-deepwater conditions, operating in water depths ranging from 1,800 to 2,000 meters. Station keeping is provided via a SOFEC external turret mooring system, enabling the vessel to safely weathervane in harsh offshore environments while maintaining continuous production.

From a production standpoint, FPSO PSVM is designed to process up to 157,000 barrels of oil per day and features a substantial crude oil storage capacity of 2 million barrels, allowing for efficient offshore production and export operations. The FPSO achieved its first oil in December 2012.

Conclusion

MODEC’s operating fleet now accounts for more than 26% of Brazil’s national oil output, with an average combined production exceeding 1.1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. Assets such as FPSO Errea Wittu, FPSO Bacalhau, FPSO Guanabara MV31, FPSO Carioca MV30, and FPSO PSVM demonstrate the company’s ability to deliver and operate large-scale FPSOs across ultra-deepwater environments in South America and Africa.

Recent new-builds, including FPSO Bacalhau and the upcoming FPSO Raia, incorporate the company’s proprietary M350 full double-hull design and Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (GTCC) power generation systems, cutting CO₂ emissions by 20% or more compared to conventional FPSO designs. 

Operational performance further strengthens MODEC’s standing, as shown by FPSO Almirante Barroso MV32, which reached maximum production capacity just 146 days after first oil. Together, these point to sustained global demand for MODEC’s EPCI and O&M expertise as offshore developments move into deeper waters and higher production ranges.

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