Equinor has moved into the drilling stage of the Raia gas project in the pre-salt region of the Campos Basin, Brazil, marking a significant step as the development advances toward its planned start up in 2028. Drilling operations commenced on 24th March 2026 with the Valaris DS-17 drillship, initiating a campaign that will include six wells across the Raia area. The offshore site lies approximately 200 kilometres from Brazil’s coastline, in water depths reaching about 2,900 metres. This phase underlines steady progress in the Raia gas project as it positions itself among the country’s most prominent natural gas developments, supported by recoverable reserves exceeding one billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Once operational, the Raia gas project is expected to deliver up to 16 million cubic metres of natural gas per day. This output could account for around 15% of Brazil’s natural gas demand, strengthening national energy security while also contributing to Equinor’s international equity production and long-term cashflow. The project is operated by Equinor (35%) in partnership with Repsol Sinopec Brasil (35%) and Petrobras (30%). The drilling work builds on the partners’ extensive deepwater expertise, including prior collaboration on the Bacalhau field, where the same drillship previously participated.
Alongside drilling, work continues on integrating and preparing the floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO), a central component of the Raia gas project’s development concept. The FPSO will process oil/condensate and gas produced from subsea wells.
Natural gas from the Raia gas project will be transported via a 200-kilometre pipeline linking the FPSO to Cabiúnas in Macaé, Rio de Janeiro state. With a total investment of around USD 9 billion, the development represents Equinor’s largest international commitment to date. The FPSO is projected to rank among the most carbon-efficient globally, with average CO₂ emissions intensity of approximately 6 kg per barrel of oil equivalent.
“Raia is Equinor’s largest project under execution and marks the deepest water depth operation in our portfolio. Together with our partners and suppliers, we are applying world-class technology and decades of offshore expertise. While drilling takes place, integration and commissioning activities on the FPSO are progressing well putting us on track towards a safe start of operations in 2028”, Says Geir Tungesvik, executive vice president, Projects, Drilling and Procurement.
