IBP1220_09

LOGISTICS AT THE AMAZON FOREST: THE CHALLENGE OF URUCU- PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION , Ricardo Magalhaes Freitas 1, Jorge Marques de Araujo 2, Gilberto Rodrigues Barbosa 3, Marcos Zeferino Teixeira Campos 4

Copyright 2009, Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute - IBP This Technical Paper was prepared for presentation at the Rio Pipeline Conference and Exposition 2009 , held between September, 22-24, 2009, in Rio de Janeiro. This Technical Paper was selected for presentation by the Technical Committee of the event according to the information contained in the abstract submitted by the author(s). The contents of the Technical Paper, as presented, were not reviewed by IBP. The organizers are not supposed to translate or correct the submitted papers. The material as it is presented, does not necessarily represent Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels Institute’ opinion, or that of its Members or Representatives. Authors consent to the publication of this Technical Paper in the Rio Pipeline Conference Proceedings.

Abstract

The predominant difficulties and logistics complexities at the Amazon Region, required of the technical body responsible for the construction of the Undertaking Urucu-Manaus Pipeline, technological knowledge and a profound background of the regional particularities, qualities that were determinants for the execution of this significant work. The logistics solutions, supported on an accurate and adequate planning for people, equipments and material mobilization for several front services, were planned considering the constant climatic variables, river flood and dry periods and with the monitoring daily routines of the communities located around the pipeline construction influence area.

STRETCH A STRETCH B1 STRETCH B2

Urucu Codajas Anamã Irandúba Manaus Glpduto (Clareira 17)

Figure 1. Urucu Manaus Pipeline´s tracing

______1 Technical accouting – PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S/A 2 Technical management and control – PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S/A 3 Commercial Advisor – PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S/A 4 Technical management and control – PETROLEO BRASILEIRO S/A Rio Pipeline Conference and Exposition 2009

1. Introduction

With approximately 662 km of extension, this pipeline will drain the natural gas production of the Petroliferous Province of Urucu, located at Coari toward to the city of Manaus, capital of Amazonas State and will significantly contribute for a new energetic matrix of the region, with branch lines to the cities of Codajás, Anori, Anamã, Caapiranga, Manacapuru and .

2. Logistical development

In order to maximize the excellence conditions to management and supervision of the undertaking, the pipeline route was separated in three stretches. The first from Urucu to Coari city, the second from Coari to Anamã city and the last one from Anamã to Manaus city, decision that aloud the implementation of specific actions for each stretch. The great distances in inhospitable areas, the variation of rivers tide, influenced by the rainy days and Andean melting, the different types of ground founded along the track, the lack of communication infrastructure at the region, the need to adapt the physical structure to make viable the aero transportation, and the adaptation of the waterway transport involved at the project, to legal and ambiental requirements were determinant factors to the accomplishment of the logistical project.

The men insertion at this specific environment has made us to adopt a lot of strategies to preserve life and the environment. The concern with the human being, belonging to the workmanship or to the rivers communities, had a special attention and strategic planning.

The health department, the doctors availability, nurses and technical body, has became pro active measures that guided all the malaria control combat, the execution of emergencies rescue by air and by river, the realization of periodic medical examinations and the provision of clinic staff in several locations and work fronts. Another relevant fact was the continuous realization of lectures, training and daily dialogs of security, environment and health organized by health and security professionals aiming the improvement of behavioral attitudes, sanitary conditions, and individual and environment security.

2.1. Accommodations

In face of access difficulties to the front works and the need to mobilize an increasing number of workers, which reached a maximum of 9,000 workers, non-conventional methods of accommodation were used for the workmanship as close as possible to the work fronts.

Aligned with security, health and environment policies of Petrobras, there were installed central gantries, jungle camps (carps), float accommodations and boats. Support bases like hotels and republics were occasionally used, at the headquarters of the cities, only supporting employees transfers.

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Accommodation Capacity :

Central Gantries: 840 beds Support Bases: 430 beds Jungle Camps: 2.400 beds Float Accommodations: 1.060 beds Boat Accommodations: 1.070 beds Republics: 500 beds

Figure 2. Accommodation Rafts

2.2. Feeding

There were offered (at the most critical period of the work from April to September of 2008) approximately 11.000 (eleven thousand) meals, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner and snaks, served at the accommodations and at the work fronts. The lunches were specifically served in a bowl called “quentinhas”, they were carried inside of thermal boxes and taken to the field to the workmanship consume. Many ways of transport were used to carry these meals to the work front: helicopters, speed boats, sleds called skid´s and by feet.

Figure 3. Refectory

The implementation of food destination logistic to the workmanship, since the transportation to reception and manipulation of the raw material, balanced development of menu, transportation and consume involved about 600 ( six hundred ) people daily attendance at the three stretches.

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2.3. Transportation

The region peculiarities and the lack of road accesses obligate us to search for transportation solutions that were appropriate to presented conditions along the track, always regarding safety and efficiency of operations. Airplanes, helicopters, speed boats, jet boats, buses and adapted trucks to work in flooded areas, weightless vehicles 4X4 traction were used at transportation of employees for departure and landing from the accommodation as well as from the work fronts. These resources were also used at the transportation of food, water, fuel, machines, equipments and rescue of people when necessary.

The following describes several kinds of transport used at the pipeline work:

Waterway Transport

The waterway transport was largely used at transportation of people, material and equipments because of the predominance of water courses as wel as rivers, lakes and “igapós” (flooded forest) which are, in fact, the main traffic routes of the region. The following describes some of the used equipment.

- Speed Boats, known as “expressos”, were largely utilized at the transportation of workers in long distances, mostly at the shift trading and for departure and landing. Made of aluminum, with approximately 75 feet and 3,5m of spread, with two engines of 415/420 hp´s and capacity for 60 to 80 passengers. Equipped with GPS (Global Positioning System), bathymeter, vhs radio and velocity performance of 35 nautical miles.

- Speed Boats known as “voadeiras”, were usually used at workmanship transportation between floating accommodations and work fronts in short and large distances, mostly along the pipeline. Made of aluminum, with approximately 27 feet and 2m of spread, capable to accommodate 10 to 20 passengers, with stern engines of 90/225 hp´s. A total of 310 units of this equipment were used during the pipeline work.

- Rescue Boats known as “ambulanchas” have the same characteristics of the speed boats, but adapted to rescue and transportation of accident victims, with seating’s in the longitudinal position, support for serum appliance, mask and oxygen machine, first aid material and handbarrow. A total of 50 units of this equipment were used during the pipeline work.

Figure 4. Jet Boats

Terrestrial Transport

Even with the predominance of waterway transports, we still have to transport people and material between the water courses and the work fronts. Because of the rainfall excesses and the swampy soil conditions, the accesses were always impassable to conventional vehicles, these way, those vehicles had to be adapted for traffic.

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About 246 buses and adapted trucks accomplished the transport of people and material along the pipeline construction. For the transportation of small groups there were used weightless vehicles with 4X4 traction.

Figure 5. Weightless Vehicles 4X4 traction

Air Transportation

To transport people between the cities of Manaus and Coari, in order to reduce displacement time of shifts, avoiding impacts at the work schedule, there were used turbo propeller, of small and medium sizes, appropriated to jungle operations, under reduced terms of airport infrastructure.

The helicopters use allowed the fastness at the transportation of small groups to restricted areas of clearings and places of arduous accesses, considerably reducing time of displacement.

The aircrafts are described like:

- ATR -42-500 AIRCRAFT – With capacity to transport 47 passengers, used specifically to daily trips between the cities of Manaus and Coari, optimizing spent time with departure and landing of workers, especially those who lives in other regions of the country.

- EMB 110 AIRCRAFT – BANDEIRANTE- With capacity to transport 18 passengers, eventually used at Manaus-Coari trips.

- EMB 810 AIRCRAFT - SÊNECA – With capacity to transport 5 passengers , also utilized to Manaus – Coari trips.

-Helicopter Esquilo (EUROCOPTER) AS 355, two turbines F1 and F2, with capacity to transport 4 or 5 passengers, with flight autonomy of 2.50min. Strictly used to people transportation.

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-HELICOPTER BELL 212 ( BELL TEXTRON) , two turbines, with capacity to transport 12 or 14 passengers, with flight autonomy of 3:30min, used to peoples, material and equipment transportation .

Figure 6. Plane ATR 42

Figure 7. Helicopters Esquilos

2.4. Fuelling and Lubricants

The large quantity of machinery and equipment involved at the pipeline work, required great effort at transportation, storage, packaging and distribution of fuels and lubricants to the front services, in significant volumes, always according to legal and environmental requirements.

For better understanding, the provision was separated into 03 (three) ways:

- Land equipment supply : there were installed at strategic locations along the pipeline route, directly connected to front services, several cylindrical metal tanks of gasoline; Supply kits of gasoline/ diesel; Suppliers modules of diesel, gasoline and lubricants packed upon traction trucks, each accompanied by their respective teams composed of mechanical and supply operators.

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- Waterway supply equipment: Along the Urucu and Solimões rivers arms, mobile tanks (safari) were prepared in adapted vessels, made for gasoline and diesel supply, known as “pontões” at the Amazon region, supply boats known as "cigars ", bearing cylindrical metal tanks of 15,000 or 20,000 liters of gasoline, ferries tankers of 500,000 liters or 1.0000.000 and trucks of 35,000 or 40,000 liters of diesel as much as gasoline, put on rafts boats driven by pushers.

- Air Supply Equipment: Considering the autonomy of all helicopters used at the undertaking, supply points of QAV (Kerosene for aviation) were arranged in strategic locations: Manaus, Manacapuru, Anori, Terminal Aquaviário of Coari (TA - Coari), intermediate basis of Taracuá (UN / AM - unity of Seismic) and Operation Base Geólogo Pedro de Moura (BOGPM, unit of Petrobras in Urucu).

Figure 8. Mobile tanks

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2.5. Communication

Communication Methods used by the undertake between all the bases, sites, gantries, and front services, has been primarily through radio communication in the VHF(Very High Frequency) system, ideal for short-distance communication, supported by repeaters along the pipeline routs, which increases the system reach. In addition, the VSAT system (private networks for voice and data communication via satellites to exchange information point to point or point-multipoint) was also used in jungle camps, boats and rafts accommodations, providing a voice and data support integrated system to Petrobras. In urban areas the systems of fixed lines and mobile phone have been largely utilized.

Figure 9. VSAT kit

Figure 10 Communication Radio

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