Petrobras could be forced to delay tendering for a new floating production, storage and offloading vessels as part of an ongoing effort to facilitate a competitive bidding process ahead of a wave of new orders.

Bids are due in February to supply a chartered FPSO with capacity to process 120,000 barrels per day of oil as part of a revitalisation project for the Albacora field, in Brazil’s Campos basin.

The Brazilian state-controlled oil company is expected to launch tenders for as many as eight more FPSO units over the next year and has been addressing concerns about supply chain constraints and financing challenges through a busy dialogue with potential bidders.