The fourth production-sharing round in the presalt area offshore Brazil, held June 7 by the country’s National Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels Agency (ANP), raised $802.4 million in signing bonuses and $188 million in planned investments on the exploration phase.
The auction had three of the four offered areas acquired: Tres Marias and Uirapuru blocks in the Santos basin and Dois Irmaos block in the Campos basin.
A signing bonus of 100 million reais was offered by Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) 30%, Chevron Brazil 30%, and Shell Brasil 40% for the Tres Marias block. A signing bonus of 2.65 billion reais was offered by Petrobras 30%, Petrogal Brasil 14%, Statoil Brasil Oil & Gas 28%, and ExxonMobil Brasil 28% for the Uirapuru block.
A signing bonus of 400 million reais was offered by Petrobras 45%, Statoil Brasil Oil & Gas 25%, and BP Energy 30% for the Dois Irmaos block.
ANP Director General Decio Oddone called the round “extremely successful.” He said, “The process of attracting investments to the country continues. We will see the results in the future, through the production of oil and gas, job creation, royalties and taxes. The revenues expected by the federal government, states, and municipalities will grow by 40 billion reais over what was initially expected, over these contracts.”
According to the law in force, Petrobras has the right of first refusal to act as operator in blocks of the pre-salt. The company opted to be the operator in all the acquired areas.
The fifth round is scheduled for Sept. 28 and will offer areas of the Saturno, Tita, Pau-Brasil, and Sudoeste de Tartaruga Verde blocks in the Campos and Santos basins within the presalt region.