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The Santos Basin blocks in focus are Amazonita, Safira Leste and Safira Oeste and, if approved, could be included in future tenders
The National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) took an important step towards the expansion of oil and natural gas exploration activities in Brazil. This Thursday (28), the ANP approved the geological and economic studies of three exploratory blocks in the pre-salt of the Santos Basin. This approval is the first step towards the possible inclusion of these blocks in future bidding rounds for areas for exploration and production of oil and natural gas, according to the website Portos e Navios.
The oil exploration blocks that underwent ANP studies in the Santos Basin are Amazonita, Safira Leste and Safira Oeste. With ANP approval, these blocks will now be forwarded to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) for analysis more detailed the feasibility of inclusion in future bidding rounds. The final decision on the inclusion of these Santos Basin blocks in tenders rests with the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE), and the MME plays a fundamental role in this process, defining the blocks and parameters to be adopted.
Potential oil exploration and geoeconomic studies in the Santos Basin
The three blocks in question in the Santos Basin have a total area of approximately 11.300 km² e impressive oil potential, estimated based on an in place volume of 16,8 billion barrels of oil equivalent. The estimated total average risked volume is 3,6 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
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These blocks were suggested by entities in the oil and natural gas industry for analysis by the ANP as part of the area nomination process. The ANP led comprehensive assessments, considering the oil potential, exploratory risk and economic analyzes of these areas in the Santos Basin. Studies indicate that these blocks have potential for exploration and production of natural gas and suggest viable conditions both technically and financially.
Geographical focus and new exploratory frontier
These studies focused on the SS-AP1 and SS-AP2 sectors, currently classified as having high exploratory potential, as well as the SS-AUP1 and SS-AUP2 sectors, associated with the new exploratory frontier model. This demonstrates the ANP's willingness to explore areas with different levels of exploratory potential and contribute to the sustainable development of the oil and gas industry in Brazil.
This approval by the ANP represents a significant step towards expanding Exploration and production in the Santos Basin pre-salt, strengthening Brazil's position as an important global player in the oil and gas industry. The process now goes to evaluation and decision by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, which will determine whether these blocks will be included in future bidding rounds.
