However, the contract hasn't officially been awarded and qualification is merely seen as a prelude to further negotiation between Petrobras and the Fels Setal consortium.

The Fels Setal consortium - comprising Keppel Corp's 60% owned Brazilian yard, Fels Setal, and Technip - is bidding to build the P-52 180,000 barrels per day offshore oil rig in the Roncador field of the Campos Basin.

However, the successful qualification of its bid has meant that the company is now automatically disqualified from competing in the Petrobras' P-51 project. This project involves the construction and installation of an offshore oilrig, of similar capacity to the P-52, and is to be located in the Marlui Sul field of the Campos Basin.

The consortium was up against rival bids from a group comprising Odebrecht and Saipem SpA, and from Samsung Heavy Industries Co for the P-52 contract. Both those bids were disqualified, as they were deemed too excessively priced.

Petrobras expects to conclude the contracting process for the two oil rigs soon.