The ANP chose to halt operations at the FPSO Peregrino floating platform in the Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro, which is operated by Equinor and Prio.
The ANP identified concerns regarding management documentation, risk analysis, and adjustments in the flood system, as indicated in the national tanker’s relevant information.
The Brazilian company stated that Norwegian Equinor, which maintains a 60% stake in the project, has begun making the required modifications. The project is expected to take between 3 and 6 weeks to be finished.
Prio, formerly known as PetroRio, acquired a 40% stake in the field from Chinese Sinochem for $1.9 billion in September 2024. In May of this year, Prio announced the acquisition of a 60% stake in Equinor. The acquisition is pending approval from Cade and ANP and is expected to be finalized by the end of the year or mid-2026.
Equinor’s acquisition involved two stages, with a Brazilian junior oil company initially purchasing 40% for US$2,233 million and an additional “earn-out” of US$166 million. The remaining 20% will be acquired later.
The deal was worth a total of $3.35 billion. The purchase will increase Prio’s production from the current 100,000 barrels per day to almost 190,000 barrels daily by 2026.
