Breaking News
By Rafael BortolotiSeptember 04, 2026 at 10:44 AM3 min read
- Brazil’s shuttle tanker market continues to tighten
KNOT Offshore Partners says Brazil’s shuttle tanker market continues to tighten, particularly in the Suezmax segment, driven by rising offshore production, new FPSO capacity and a limited newbuild orderbook.
During Q2 2026, 15 of KNOT’s 19 vessels operated in Brazil. The company also said it is aware of nine Knutsen NYK shuttle tanker newbuilds scheduled for delivery between 2026 and 2028 and anticipates that all are backed by charters with clients in Brazil.
On September 1, KNOT Offshore Partners completed the acquisition of the company that owns the 2024-built DP2 shuttle tanker Hedda Knutsen. The transaction carries a US$113 million purchase price, including US$89.4 million of outstanding debt, resulting in an initial acquisition cost of approximately US$24.4 million. The vessel is chartered to Petrobras through November 2034, with an option for five additional years.
- Tidewater completes acquisition of Wilson Sons Ultratug
Tidewater completed the acquisition of Wilson Sons Ultratug Participações and Atlantic Offshore Services on August 31, adding 22 PSVs to its fleet and significantly expanding its position in Brazil.
The transaction increases Tidewater’s Brazilian fleet from six to 28 vessels. Of the 22 PSVs acquired, 19 are Brazilian-built, giving the company additional scale and REB capacity in one of the world’s largest offshore vessel markets.
The transaction was originally announced at an enterprise value of approximately US$500 million, including the assumption of existing debt.
- ABS and JB Energy advance floating offshore wind studies in Brazil
ABS and JB Energy have signed an MoU to support strategic studies for the proposed Aura Sul Wind floating offshore wind pilot in Rio Grande do Sul.
The collaboration will focus on emissions reduction initiatives for the Port of Rio Grande and the preliminary decommissioning strategy for JB Energy’s Raijin Float, a concrete-based semi-submersible floating wind foundation.
The agreement represents another step in the technical development of the proposed project, which remains under consideration.
- Ibama extends consultation period for Trident’s FSO Odisseia
Ibama has extended until October 15 the deadline for requests for a public hearing related to the environmental licensing of Trident Energy’s Project BRAVO in the Campos Basin.
The project involves the installation and operation of the FSO Odisseia at the Pampo and Enchova clusters.
Ibama said the extension is intended to increase transparency and encourage public participation in the licensing process.
- Petrobras-operated fields account for 87% of Brazil’s July production
Brazil produced 5.851 million boe/d of oil and natural gas in July, according to new data released by the ANP. Fields operated by Petrobras, alone or in partnership, accounted for 87.27% of total production.
Oil production reached 4.498 million bpd, up 13.6% year-on-year, while pre-salt production reached 4.821 million boe/d and represented 82.4% of Brazil’s total output.
Búzios remained the country’s largest oil-producing field at 1.113 million bpd, while the FPSO Almirante Tamandaré was the largest individual oil-producing unit, averaging 263,178 bpd.
The July figures follow a strong operational second quarter for Petrobras. The company reported net income of R$52.4 billion in Q2 2026, 97% above the same period of 2025, while investments reached R$26.7 billion, with 82% allocated to Exploration & Production.
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This article was produced by Westhon Media for One Energy News.