According to data from ANP, Brazil saw 12 declarations of commerciality for onshore fields in 2020. Five of the assets are located in the Recôncavo [1] basin: Itaparica and Paramirim do Vencimento, which are operated by Newo Óleo e Gás; Vale do Quiricó (Energizzi Energias do Brasil); Araçás Leste (Guindastes Brasil Óleo e Gás); and Cardeal do Nordeste Leste (Imetame Energia).
The Espírito Santo [2] and Potiguar [3] basins each saw three new fields registered in 2020. In the Espírito Santo basin: Suindara, operated by BGM Petróleo e Gás; Rio Mariricu (Ubuntu Engenharia e Serviços); and Garça Branca (Petromais Exploração e Produção); and in Potiguar Urutau (Ubuntu); Iraúna (Imetame); and Campainha Azul (Imetame).
The other field which was declared commercially operable last year was São João in the Barreirinhas basin. The asset is operated by Oeste de Canoas Petróleo e Gás.
The number of declarations of commerciality registered in 2020 was the highest since 2014, when 14 were reported, and was some three times more than the four registered in 2019 (Bacalhau Norte and Bacalhau, operated by Equinor, Gavião Carijó, of Eneva, and Iraí, of Petroborn Óleo e Gás.
However, last year was the first since 2016 when no offshore projects were declared commercial.
The absence of Petrobras from the 2020 list could be considered a reflection of the oil company’s focus on production developments in the Santos basin pre-salt. Meanwhile, small and medium-sized companies that have acquired areas through the Brazilian federal firm’s divestments and ANP’s open acreage program have increased their share of the country’s exploration and production segment.