Petrobras has discovered an oil accumulation while drilling the Anhangá exploratory well in the ultra-deep waters of the Potiguar Basin, located in the Equatorial Margin.
The well, located in the POT-M-762_R15 concession, is the second discovery in the Potiguar Basin in 2024, preceded by proof of the presence of hydrocarbons in the Pitu Oeste Well.
The 1-BRSA-1390-RNS (Anhangá) well is located near the border between the states of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, about 190 km from Fortaleza and 250 km from Natal, at a water depth of 2,196 meters, on the Brazilian Equatorial Margin.
These discoveries still require further assessment said Petrobras, which is the operator of both concessions and holds a 100% stake.
"The company has a track record of almost 3,000 wells drilled in deep and ultra-deepwater environments, without any kind of incident or impact on the environment, which, combined with the technical capacity and experience accumulated over almost 70 years, enables the company to open up new frontiers and handle its operations in the Equatorial Margin with total safety," said Petrobras CEO Jean Paul Prates.
In addition to its activities in the Brazilian Equatorial Margin, in 2023, the company acquired new blocks in the Pelotas Basin in southern Brazil and stakes in three exploratory blocks in São Tomé and Príncipe, a country on the west coast of Africa.
"With the advance of exploratory research in Brazil's Equatorial Margin, we have increased our knowledge of this region, considered to be a new and promising frontier in ultra-deep waters, which will be fundamental for the company's future, guaranteeing the supply of oil needed for the country's development," said Joelson Mendes, Petrobras’ Exploration and Production director.
The company intends to invest $ 7.5 billion in exploration by 2028, of which US$ 3.1 billion is in the Equatorial Margin, which stretches from Amapá to Rio Grande do Norte.
It plans to drill 50 new exploratory wells in the period, with 16 in the Equatorial Margin region.