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Powered By New And Massive Platforms, The Búzios Field Surpassed The Historic Tupi Field And Established Itself As The Largest Oil Field In Brazil In Production.
The Brazilian pre-salt witnessed a historic change of guard. The Búzios Field, in the Santos Basin, surpassed the Tupi Field (the former Lula field) and officially became the largest oil field in Brazil in terms of production volume. The change, solidified between 2024 and 2025, marks a new phase in oil exploration in ultra-deep waters in the country.
According to the latest data from the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), the rise of Búzios is a result of the commissioning of new and massive production platforms. The analysis of the two fields reveals the dynamics of the pre-salt, with a new giant taking the lead while the frontier pioneer enters its maturity phase.
The New King Of Pre-Salt: The Búzios Field And Its Millionaire Production
Located about 180 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, in the heart of the pre-salt of the Santos Basin, the Búzios Field is today Brazil’s most productive asset. Discovered in 2010, the field began production in 2018 and, since then, its importance has only increased.
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The field’s production is already approaching 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d). Its leadership consolidation was fueled by the commissioning of its sixth and largest platform, the FPSO Almirante Tamandaré, which began production on February 15, 2025.
The Historical Giant: The Tupi Field And The Legacy Of The First Discovery
For over a decade, the largest oil field in Brazil was the Tupi Field. Its discovery, announced in 2006, was the event that revealed to the world the potential of Brazilian pre-salt and forever changed the country’s status in the global energy landscape.
Operated by Petrobras in partnership with Shell and Petrogal, Tupi was the first major pre-salt field to begin production in 2009. Although it remains a giant, with cumulative production exceeding 2.6 billion barrels, the field has already reached maturity and is now in a phase of natural production decline.
The Engineering Of Giants: The Platforms That Operate At 5,000 Meters Depth
The exploration of these fields, located under a thick layer of salt and over 5,000 meters deep, requires cutting-edge technology. Production in Búzios is ensured by a fleet of six massive FPSO (Floating Production, Storage And Offloading) platforms.
The operation is led by Petrobras, which holds nearly 90% of the field, in partnership with the Chinese state-owned companies CNOOC and CNODC. The complex underwater infrastructure connects 15 wells to the new Almirante Tamandaré platform alone.
Santos Basin: The New Epicenter Of Brazilian Oil
The rise of Búzios and Tupi has consolidated the Santos Basin as the new and main hub for oil production in Brazil. For decades, the Campos Basin was the country’s leading oil province, with fields like Marlim and Roncador.
Today, however, the largest and most productive assets are located in the pre-salt of the Santos Basin, which has become the heart of the national oil and gas industry.
The Future Of Production: The Goal Of 2 Million Barrels Per Day In Búzios
Búzios is not only the largest oil field in Brazil today; it is the main growth driver for Petrobras in the future. The state-owned company projects that production from the field will consistently surpass the mark of 1 million barrels per day as early as 2025.
The long-term plan is even more ambitious. With the installation of five more new platforms in the coming years, Petrobras aims for Búzios’ production to reach 2 million barrels per day by 2030, consolidating the field as one of the most important in the world.
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