Tenaris Secures Major Supply Role for Búzios 11 Offshore Project in Brazil
Rio Pipeline 2025, one of the leading gatherings for the energy and pipeline industry in Latin America, provided the stage for a significant announcement by Tenaris. During the event, held September 9–11 in Rio de Janeiro, the global steel pipe manufacturer confirmed it will supply line pipe and coating solutions for the Búzios 11 offshore project, reinforcing its long-standing role as a trusted partner to Brazil’s energy sector and its deepwater developments.
Strengthening Commitment to Pre-Salt Development
The Búzios field, part of Brazil’s massive pre-salt reserves, has been central to the country’s offshore expansion strategy. Speaking at a networking cocktail sponsored by Tenaris during the conference, Renato Catallini, President of Tenaris in Brazil, emphasized the importance of this latest award.
“This project highlights our ongoing commitment to the development of the Pre-Salt,” Catallini said. “Our technologies, combined with our ability to integrate services and manufacturing capabilities, enable us to deliver high-value solutions to our partners and to Brazil’s energy future.”
Project Scope and Technical Demands
The Búzios 11 module marks the eleventh development phase of the giant offshore field, located around 180 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in the Santos Basin. Operations are planned at water depths of about 2,100 meters, placing the project firmly in the category of ultra-deepwater developments that require advanced engineering and materials.
This phase will include the construction of 15 subsea wells tied back to a floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel. Unlike some projects that use flexible pipelines, the Búzios 11 production and injection system will rely entirely on rigid lines—risers and flowlines—demanding robust, high-quality pipe capable of withstanding harsh offshore conditions.
Supply Agreement Details
Under the newly awarded contract, Tenaris will supply approximately 18,000 tons of seamless pipe, covering a total of 115 kilometers. The line pipe will be produced at the company’s Dalmine manufacturing center in Italy, one of its flagship facilities for premium-grade tubular products.
Additionally, around 112 kilometers of pipe will be coated with specialized thermal insulation using TenarisShawcor’s Marine 5-Layer Syntactic and Marine 5-Layer Solid technologies. These advanced coatings are critical for maintaining flow assurance in deepwater operations, where extreme temperatures and pressures can pose risks to production efficiency. The coating application will take place at Confab, Tenaris’s integrated facility in Pindamonhangaba, São Paulo, which has been a central hub for serving the Brazilian offshore market.
Integrated Service Model
A key feature of the project is its execution under Tenaris’s One Line® service model. This integrated approach streamlines project management by combining product supply, coating application, logistics, and technical support into a unified framework. The model is designed to adapt quickly to project changes and minimize operational risks, offering oil and gas operators greater efficiency and reliability.
By providing both the steel pipe and the coating through a coordinated process, Tenaris reduces complexity for customers while ensuring consistency in quality and delivery. This approach has already proven successful in earlier phases of Búzios, helping Petrobras and its partners maintain project schedules in one of the most challenging offshore environments.
Building on Past Success
Tenaris has been a consistent contributor to the development of the Búzios field, which is considered one of the largest ultra-deepwater oil fields in the world. With several modules already producing, the field plays a critical role in Brazil’s status as a leading offshore oil producer.
“We are proud to once again support the development of the Búzios field, building on the positive experience of earlier phases,” Catallini stated. “This award demonstrates the value we deliver by integrating our product technologies with specialized services, while leveraging our global manufacturing capabilities and strong local presence in Brazil.”
Strategic Importance for Brazil
The Búzios 11 project underscores Brazil’s ongoing commitment to tapping its pre-salt resources, which are expected to remain a cornerstone of the country’s energy strategy for decades to come. The Santos Basin alone has reserves estimated in the tens of billions of barrels, making it one of the most prolific offshore areas globally.
For suppliers like Tenaris, winning contracts in these projects reflects not only technological capability but also alignment with Brazil’s strategy to develop local industry and maintain global competitiveness in offshore oil production. By combining manufacturing in Italy with coating operations in Brazil, Tenaris demonstrates how global expertise and local execution can work hand-in-hand.
