Petrobras has been granted the most blocks offered in the 11th Brazilian petroleum resources bidding round staged by the country’s National Petroleum Agency (ANP).
The semi-state-owned company secured 34 of the 289 blocks offered in the round, solus and in partnerships.
Petrobras secured the offshore blocks thought to have the greatest potential in the Foz do Amazonas, Espírito Santo and Barreirinhas Basins. Onshore targets secured are mostly in the Parnaíba Basin.
Among other companies bidding successfully were majors such as BP, Statoil and Total.
Total secured 10 licences. It will be operator with 40% interest in five blocks situated in the Foz do Amazonas Basin (FZA-M-57, FZA-M-86, FZA-M-88, FZA-M-125 and FZA-M-127) and with 45% interest in one block (CE-M-661) in the Ceara Basin.
In addition, Total has acquired a 25% working interest in three blocks (ES-M-669, ES-M-671 and ES-M-743) in the Espirito Santo Basin as well as a 50% interest in one block (BAR-M-346) in the Barreirinhas Basin.
The French group will be in partnership variously with Petrobras, BP, Statoil, OGX and Queiroz Galvao.
BP has gained stakes in eight deepwater blocks of which it will operate two.
The concessions include: blocks FZA-M-57, FZA-M-59, FZA-M-86, FZA-M-88, FZA-M-125, and FAZ-M-127 in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, BAR-M-346 in the Barreirinhas Basin, and POT-M-764 in the Potiguar Basin.
BP will operate block FZA-M-59 (70% interest) and in block BAR-M-346, (50%). It is variously partnered by Total, Petrobras and Petrogal.
Premier Oil also secured acreage, being awarded interests in three blocks.
The UK group secured a 50% operated equity stake in blocks 717 and 665 in the Ceara Basin. It was also allocated a 35% non-operated interest in block 90 in the Foz do Amazonas Basin.
Finally in this selection, Statoil secured six exploration licences in the Espirito Santo Basin, of which four as operator and two as partner. They are located in the deepwater sector of the basin, close to licences BM-ES-32 and BM-ES-22A which are operated by Petrobras and in which Statoil is already a partner. The new awards comprise: ES-M-596, ES-M-598, ES-M-669, ES-M-671, ES-M-673 and ES-M-743.