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Farmer Finds Liquid Similar to Oil While Drilling Well in the Interior of Ceará, Discovery Mobilizes Authorities
While drilling a well in search of water in November 2024, in the municipality of Tabuleiro do Norte, in the interior of Ceará, farmer Sidrônio Moreira found a dark liquid similar to oil, a discovery that now awaits official confirmation from the National Agency of Petroleum.
Unexpected Discovery During Well Drilling
The discovery occurred at Sítio Santo Estevão, an area of about 48 hectares inherited from Sidrônio Moreira’s father, located in the community of Baixa do Juazeiro, approximately 35 kilometers from the center of Tabuleiro do Norte.
The farmer was drilling two wells trying to find water to face the drought affecting the region when, in the first one, a dark liquid similar to oil appeared, surprising the family.
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Initially, Sidrônio believed he had found water. A video recorded at the moment of drilling shows the farmer celebrating when the liquid emerges from the hole opened in the ground.
However, weeks later, the family realized that the substance was not water. Its appearance, texture, and smell indicated that it could be oil or some type of hydrocarbon present underground.
Visits and Offers After Possible Oil Emergence
Since the appearance of the dark liquid, Sidrônio claims he has received many visits at the site. Some people even made offers to buy the property where the possible oil was found.
According to the farmer, whenever someone calls to try to acquire the land, he quickly ends the conversation. Sidrônio states that he does not intend to sell the area where he lives with his wife and two children.
He has been living there for about 20 years and claims that the family’s main interest remains finding water for personal consumption and to maintain agricultural production.
Despite the curiosity generated by the possible presence of oil, the family’s routine continues to be marked by the difficulty of accessing water.
Routine Marked by Lack of Water
Currently, the family depends on a water supply system and also on deliveries by water trucks to meet part of their basic water needs.
Additionally, Sidrônio reports that he needs to spend about R$ 100 per month buying mineral water for domestic consumption.
Even with these alternatives, the supply is still not sufficient. The shortage forced the farmer to sell some animals and reduce the size of the crops maintained on the property.
The attempt to drill new wells was precisely a strategy to cope with this lack of water, which ended up leading to the finding of the liquid similar to oil.
ANP Investigation and Preliminary Analyses
The family informed the discovery to the National Agency of Petroleum in July 2025. However, the technical visit to the site occurred only seven months later, on Thursday, the 12th.
Now, the residents await the official analysis result that could confirm whether the substance found is indeed oil.
Prior to the agency’s arrival, analyses conducted by IFCE and Ufersa indicated that the liquid is a type of hydrocarbon with characteristics similar to oil found in nearby regions.
Even so, only a laboratory accredited by the ANP can accurately confirm whether the material is indeed oil.
Location and Relation to Exploration Areas
Tabuleiro do Norte is about 210 kilometers from Fortaleza and is part of the Vale do Jaguaribe region, near the Potiguar Basin, an area known for oil exploration between Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte.
Although the municipality is not within any official exploration block, the location of the discovery is approximately 11 kilometers from the nearest block.
This proximity, combined with the characteristics of the analyzed liquid, raised the possibility of the existence of oil in the region.
What Could Happen If Oil is Confirmed
Even if the material is confirmed as oil, the farmer will not be able to explore or commercialize the fuel.
In Brazil, the riches existing in the subsoil belong to the Union, as established by current legislation.
After the confirmation of the substance, the ANP may begin studies on the conditions of the subsoil, the chemical composition of the liquid, and the size of the possible deposit.
If the existence of oil is proven, the area may be divided into exploration blocks and auctioned to interested companies.
Even so, exploration is not guaranteed. Factors such as the size of the deposit, extraction costs, technical difficulties, and the quality of the oil may influence investors’ interest.
With information from G1.
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