Candeias Field, First to Produce Oil in Brazil: Well C-01 Was Drilled in 1941 and Gave Rise to Mataripe Refinery

Written by Bruno Teles

Published on 15/04/2025 at 15:04

Primeiro poço comercial do país foi perfurado em 1941 no Recôncavo Baiano e deu origem à refinaria de Mataripe, atual REFMAT Acelen

Be the first to react!

First Commercial Well in the Country Was Drilled in 1941 in the Recôncavo Baiano and Gave Rise to the Mataripe Refinery, Now REFMAT Acelen

The Candeias field, located in the municipality of Candeias, Bahia, made history on December 13, 1941, when the C-01 well (Candeias-01) gushed oil for the first time on a commercial scale in Brazil. It was the beginning of the journey that would transform the country into one of the largest global oil producers, culminating in the discoveries of the pre-salt.

Geologist Pedro Moura, responsible for the well’s location, etched his name with the first great achievement of Brazilian geology. The production of Candeias, initially operated by Petrobras, is now conducted by BRAVA Energia, a merger of 3R Petroleum and Enauta.

Candeias Field: Cradle of the Oil Industry in Brazil

First commercial well in the country was drilled in 1941 in the Recôncavo Baiano and gave rise to the Mataripe Refinery, now REFMAT Acelen

The original structure of the Candeias field was made up of riveted storage tanks, a technique that predates the widespread introduction of welding. These tanks were installed around the first producing wells and represent the beginning of the Brazilian industrial infrastructure in the oil and gas sector.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

From the Era of Rivets to the Pre-Salt: Technical and Cultural Legacy

The Candeias field symbolizes the link between the beginning of the national industry and modern technological advancements. Even today, it is possible to find operational equipment from the 1940s, thanks to rigorous inspection, maintenance, and asset integrity programs.

The journey that began in the Recôncavo Baiano was the starting point for Brazil to reach ultra-deep fields like those of the pre-salt, where production exceeds 3 million barrels per day, using state-of-the-art drilling ships and carbon capture and gas reinjection technologies.

The legacy of the Candeias field lives on not only through production but also through the preservation of the memory and effort of generations of workers, from fishermen and shellfish gatherers to engineers and technicians.

Candeias Field, First to Produce Oil in Brazil: Well C-01 Was Drilled in 1941 and Gave Rise to Mataripe Refinery

First Commercial Well in the Country Was Drilled in 1941 in the Recôncavo Baiano and Gave Rise to the Mataripe Refinery, Now REFMAT Acelen

Candeias Field: Cradle of the Oil Industry in Brazil

From the Era of Rivets to the Pre-Salt: Technical and Cultural Legacy

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

With an 88-meter wingspan, a capacity of 250 tons, six engines, and 32 wheels, the Ukrainian giant became the greatest symbol of extreme air transport and one of the most impressive machines in aviation history.

The United Kingdom removed approximately 1.8 million cubic meters of sand from the seabed and is depositing it all on 6 kilometers of beaches in Norfolk, in a mega-operation to curb erosion, protect coastal villages, and shield a vital gas terminal against the encroaching Atlantic.

After 16 years and almost 600 prototypes, a Chinese inventor unveils the world’s smallest and cheapest manned jet, at just 3.80 meters long and costing US$7.2 thousand in materials.

Magalu has a clearance sale on JBL Boombox 4 with 210W of power, 34-hour battery, and 3-way system.

Spain pumps 3.3 million m³ of sand through floating and submerged pipelines to reconstruct 7 km of beaches in Valencia and create a coastal strip up to 150 meters wider against erosion

The Government has already released the new RG for 52 million Brazilians with a single CPF, integrated biometrics, a digital version on Gov.br, and national validity.

In Cuba, where blackouts last for hours and charging an electric tricycle takes 10 hours with no guarantee of power, an entrepreneur inaugurated the country’s first free solar charging station; residents are already coming from 70 kilometers away just to get power.

Tons of algae invade China’s coast every summer, destroying marine ecosystems, but Chinese laboratories have transformed the problem into biological fertilizer sold in over 60 countries, with 50 registered patents for harvesting, drying, and processing the material directly from the ocean.

Goodbye allergy and fine dust: Xiaomi launches purifier that removes 99.99% of particles in one hour, eliminates formaldehyde in two hours, reduces 98.9% of pollen, and delivers 11,666 liters of clean air per minute

Candeias Field, First to Produce Oil in Brazil: Well C-01 Was Drilled in 1941 and Gave Rise to Mataripe Refinery

First Commercial Well in the Country Was Drilled in 1941 in the Recôncavo Baiano and Gave Rise to the Mataripe Refinery, Now REFMAT Acelen

Candeias Field: Cradle of the Oil Industry in Brazil

From the Era of Rivets to the Pre-Salt: Technical and Cultural Legacy

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

With an 88-meter wingspan, a capacity of 250 tons, six engines, and 32 wheels, the Ukrainian giant became the greatest symbol of extreme air transport and one of the most impressive machines in aviation history.

The United Kingdom removed approximately 1.8 million cubic meters of sand from the seabed and is depositing it all on 6 kilometers of beaches in Norfolk, in a mega-operation to curb erosion, protect coastal villages, and shield a vital gas terminal against the encroaching Atlantic.

After 16 years and almost 600 prototypes, a Chinese inventor unveils the world’s smallest and cheapest manned jet, at just 3.80 meters long and costing US$7.2 thousand in materials.

Magalu has a clearance sale on JBL Boombox 4 with 210W of power, 34-hour battery, and 3-way system.

Brazil discovers natural hydrogen in four states and enters the silent race that could redraw the energy transition: Petrobras has already invested R$ 20 million in studies.

Trump promises transparency in Venezuela’s oil, but secret deals and corruption allegations continue to surround the billion-dollar sector.

Oil near US$100 raises tension on Wall Street and amplifies global fear about inflation, energy, and the Middle East crisis

Oil moves trillions worldwide, dominates energy generation, and continues to be a strategic resource for major global powers.

United States intercepts six Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and April ceasefire is once again threatened

Spain pumps 3.3 million m³ of sand through floating and submerged pipelines to reconstruct 7 km of beaches in Valencia and create a coastal strip up to 150 meters wider against erosion

The Government has already released the new RG for 52 million Brazilians with a single CPF, integrated biometrics, a digital version on Gov.br, and national validity.

In Cuba, where blackouts last for hours and charging an electric tricycle takes 10 hours with no guarantee of power, an entrepreneur inaugurated the country’s first free solar charging station; residents are already coming from 70 kilometers away just to get power.

Tons of algae invade China’s coast every summer, destroying marine ecosystems, but Chinese laboratories have transformed the problem into biological fertilizer sold in over 60 countries, with 50 registered patents for harvesting, drying, and processing the material directly from the ocean.

Goodbye allergy and fine dust: Xiaomi launches purifier that removes 99.99% of particles in one hour, eliminates formaldehyde in two hours, reduces 98.9% of pollen, and delivers 11,666 liters of clean air per minute