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ing (FPSO) units to the trunk via branching units with peaters, branching units, and branch cable has been manu-

OADM technology to deliver 200 Gb/s of bi-directional factured, with system assembly and test (SAT) ongoing.

communications to each cable landing stations (CLS) – one located at Praia Grande, state of São Paulo and the Manufacture and integration of the SUTAs and umbili- other at Praia da Macumba, state of Rio de Janeiro. cals will be completed during the second quarter of 2023, the same as installation begins for the trunk.

Petrobras is highly motivated in increasing capacity and security in the transmission of real-time data from The 13 initial FPSO umbilical connections are sched- offshore platforms. This increase in capacity opens up a uled to occur throughout 2023, and the entire Malha Óp- range of possibilities, such as live video support from sup- tica is on schedule to be completed by late 2023.

pliers via video transmission, adoption of digital technol- ogies on a large scale, and real-time remote monitoring of

OE: What makes the Malha Óptica proj- production facilities.

ect unique compared to other subsea telecom projects Pioneer Consulting has

OE: What exactly is your scope in the proj- worked on?

ect, and what do you believe was the key

In addition to the various nuances described above, factor that contributed to the company

Malha Óptica is unique in its somewhat “disaggregated” winning the contract?

approach to design and implementation.

Pioneer has been hired by a consortium between ZMAX

Blue Marine Telecom and Planova Planejamento e Con- Many aspects of this project are being handled by sepa- struções, both Brazilian companies, which is responsible rate manufacturers and installers, each with expertise rela- for the integration of the Malha Óptica system. Pioneer tive to the oil and gas sector. The ZMAX-Planova consor- has been hired to help bridge the “language” gap between tium is acting as the integrator, pulling all of this expertise oil and gas and commercial telecoms. Our role in this proj- together to deliver a completed network for Petrobras.

ect is to provide expertise, experience, and advise on all aspects related to oil and gas telecom equipment, marine Of course, this approach creates unique challenges in survey, and installation activities. Since we started working the coordination of materials, equipment, and subcompo- on the project in April 2022, we have taken on an active nents between suppliers and installers.

role coordinating various subcontractors, providing our expertise in installation planning and procedures, support- Although Pioneer is very familiar with a disaggre- ing on-site factory acceptance testing, and assisting with gated approach to system construction for commercial other roles as needed to help move the project forward. telecom systems (for example having just completed the

CrossChannel Fibre system using this approach), this

We believe that there were a few key factors that contrib- level of disaggregation is unique because the disaggre- uted to our winning the contract. Our general knowledge gated scopes are much larger than they would be for a of the project based on years of planning by Petrobras, commercial system.

coupled with decades of installation and planning experi- ence in oil and gas were likely distinguishing factors. We Of course, this approach is quite common in the oil and also had more general experience working in Brazil on tele- gas industry, but not so much in commercial telecoms, at com projects through the past two decades. least at this scale.

OE: It's now been several months since the OE: Finally, are there any drawbacks to us- contract was awarded. Can you give us an ing subsea fiber optic cables in the offshore update on the status of the project? industry? How is the cable's structural in-

As of January 2023, the entirety of the trunk cable, re- tegrity, cybersecurity, and data safety en-

MAY/JUNE 2023 OFFSHORE ENGINEER 49