Discover how Petrobras and ESSS are revolutionizing well integrity management on Brazil’s most productive offshore platforms. Hariel Mendes, Business Development Specialist at ESSS O&G, shows in this article how Digital Twin technology and 24/7 Smart Integrity Monitoring delivers real-time diagnostics, predictive insights, and proven multimillion-dollar savings — ensuring safer, more efficient, and sustainable operations.
At the heart of Brazil’s offshore oil and gas production, Petrobras operates some of the most complex and productive assets in the world. On these engineering giants, well integrity is more than an operational target — it’s a matter of safety, environmental protection, and uninterrupted production.
That’s why 26 of Brazil’s 30 top-producing platforms now rely on ESSS Digital Twin technology and 24/7 Smart Integrity Monitoring — a transformative approach that’s redefining how well integrity is monitored, diagnosed, and protected in real time.
Protecting integrity in complex environments
Monitoring hundreds of injector and producer wells, offshore and onshore, means dealing with unique geological challenges, variable operational conditions, and high-stakes production targets.
Traditional monitoring methods, often reactive, can fall short when early detection is critical. A single leak, structural wear, or component failure can trigger multimillion-dollar losses, safety incidents, or environmental damage.
Petrobras needed a more intelligent, proactive, and scalable approach — one that could detect problems before they escalate, forecast performance, and guide decisions with reliable, data-driven insights.
Digital Twin: The virtual replica that guarantees reality
Born from a strategic RD&I partnership between Petrobras, ESSS, the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL), and Intelie, this solution combines advanced simulation technology with expert, around-the-clock monitoring from Petrobras’ Real-Time Operations Center (RTOC) in Macaé, Brazil.
It works through four key steps:
- Continuous Data Collection – Capturing critical operational parameters: pressure, temperature, flow rates, valve statuses (WCT, DHSV), and SCM control line metrics.
- Digital Twin Simulation – Creating a high-fidelity virtual replica of each well, updated in real time with operational data.
- Advanced Diagnosis – Running multiphase flow simulations, mechanical and thermal stress analyses, and safety factor calculations for tubing and casing integrity.
- Actionable Insights – Automatically generating alarms, anomaly alerts, and recommendations for corrective actions — before risks impact operations.
Cutting-edge technology with proven results
Implementing the ESSS digital twin isn’t just a technological upgrade; it’s a transformation in how well integrity is managed. The tangible benefits are clear:
- Operational Optimization: Our simulation-based look-ahead module allows for safely predicting and optimizing future operations. This enables your team to simulate “what-if” scenarios, reducing operational costs and ensuring safe, efficient operations.
- Enhanced Safety: By identifying potential failure points in advance, the risks of incidents are drastically reduced, protecting the environment and workers.
- Production Optimization: More integral wells operate more efficiently. The ability to maintain asset health ensures that production isn’t compromised by integrity issues, maximizing return on investment.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Automated alerts and monitoring dashboards provide engineers with complete, standardized data, empowering them to make faster, more informed, and strategic decisions.
Our history in advanced simulation is the foundation for this robust solution, developed through a cutting-edge RD&I project. This excellence was recognized with the ANP Award 2022 and led us to be finalists for the prestigious Petrobras Pride Award in the Value category. Our technology is not just powerful; it’s a proven solution with tangible results, including US$ +120 million in savings and over 1000 alerts issued to prevent critical failures.
Looking to the future: more innovation and safety
The partnership between ESSS and Petrobras is a clear example of how technological innovation can elevate safety and efficiency standards in a critical sector. We continue to refine our solutions, seeking new ways to anticipate challenges and ensure that oil and gas operations are increasingly safer, more sustainable, and more productive.
Want to understand how Smart Integrity Monitoring can transform the integrity management of your assets? Talk to an expert to discover how our digital twin technology and 24/7 monitoring service can deliver a proactive, more intelligent approach for your operations.
