Raia

Raia: One of the major natural gas projects in Brazil

The Raia project is located in the Campos Basin and is operated by Equinor (35%), in partnership with Repsol Sinopec (35%) and Petrobras (30%).

Raia comprises three different pre-salt discoveries: Pão de Açúcar, Gávea and Seat. They contain recoverable reserves of natural gas and oil/condensate in excess of 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent (Boe). The gas export capacity is 16 MSm3/d and could represent 15% of Brazil's total gas demand when it starts operating, scheduled for 2028.

Innovative offshore gas treatment concept

The Raia development concept is innovative in Brazil and is based on production by wells connected to an FPSO capable of treating the oil/condensate and specify the gas produced. The gas specified for sale will be discharged through a 200 km offshore pipeline, leaving the FPSO in the direction of Cabiúnas, in the city of Macaé (RJ). The liquids will be unloaded via relieving vessels.

This is the first time in Brazil that the gas will be specified offshore and delivered directly to the transmission system without the need for an onshore processing plant, due to the quality of the hydrocarbons that will be produced in the field.

Creating value in Brazil

To Equinor it is very important to create value where we operate. Our core business and supply chain deliver energy to millions of people globally while creating significant economic value.

This is achieved through taxes, jobs, skill development, education, innovation, and social impact. We believe businesses must actively contribute to the societies they serve.

Together with partners, Equinor has announced an investment of approximately US$ 9 billion to develop the project. Raia is one of the country's main gas projects, making a decisive contribution to the development of the Brazilian gas market.

Raia is expected to create up to 50,000 direct and indirect jobs throughout the field’s lifecycle, contributing to Brazil’s energy security and economic development, enabling significant new job opportunities.

The pipes for the Raia gas export pipeline counts on a mostly local supply chain, with 99% of the steel produced by Brazilian companies for the production and coating of pipes for the 200 km gas pipeline that will connect the FPSO Raia platform ship to the Raia gas receiving facility at Cabiúnas, in the city of Macaé.

In September 2025, the installation of the shallow-water section of the Raia pipeline was completed. This is an essential step to connect the Raia FPSO to the gas transportation network near Cabiúnas, in Macaé.

Producing low-carbon energy

Raia will be Equinor's second FPSO in Brazil to use combined cycle gas turbines, significantly reducing the field's carbon emissions. It combines a gas turbine with a steam turbine to harness excess heat that would otherwise be lost.

The Raia FPSO is expected to be the world's most efficient in terms of carbon self-production. With the implementation of various technologies, such as the combined cycle, the average CO2 intensity of the field during its lifetime will be less than 6 kilos per barrel. The FPSO's capacity is approximately 126,000 bpd.