Brazil’s largest FPSO to be fitted with seven oil mist separators from FRANKE-Filter

Equinor’s major offshore project involves the operation of the largest Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit ever delivered to Brazil

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Offshore exploitation in great depths

Equinor’s major offshore project operates the largest Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit ever delivered to Brazil. The vessel is permanently moored at a water depth of 2,050 metres and is located in the Santos Basin in the pre-salt region, approximately 185 kilometres off the coast of Ilhabela in the state of São Paulo. The FPSO ‘Bacalhau’ is the first implementation of MODEC’s ‘M350 Hull’ concept. This is a newly developed, next-generation double-hull design. It is designed for larger superstructures and a higher storage capacity than conventional VLCC tankers and has an extended service life.

Seven oil mist separators for clean, reliable offshore operations

Two of the custom-designed oil mist separators are used on screw compressors; the remaining five oil mist eliminators are used on gas compressors and help to keep the area around machinery and equipment clean and prevent oil components from being released into the environment.

A project of impressive scale

The FPSO Bacalhau is designed for a production capacity of up to 220,000 barrels of crude oil per day and has a storage capacity of around 2 million barrels.

A distinctive feature of the project is the integrated gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plant system. The technology is intended to reduce the carbon intensity of operations and underlines the facility’s high technological and environmental standards.

In October 2025, oil was produced for the first time on the FPSO Bacalhau (‘First Oil’). This marked the start of production at one of Equinor’s most significant international offshore fields. The company describes Bacalhau as its largest offshore field outside Norway, with a production potential of more than one billion barrels of oil equivalent.

FRANKE-Filter is the expert for oil mist filtration in demanding applications

With the delivery of the seven oil mist separators, FRANKE-Filter is further expanding its expertise in the international offshore and FPSO sectors. FRANKE-Filter’s oil mist separators have already been used in previous FPSO projects in Norway, Brazil and the Gulf of Mexico.