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The Brazilian State-Owned Company Petrobras Began 2025 With Strong Operational Performance, Increasing Oil and Natural Gas Production by 5.4%, Thanks to New Units in Pre-Salt, Efficiency in Operations, and Focus on Cleaner Energies.
Petrobras ended the first quarter of 2025 with a 5.4% increase in average production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (LGN), reaching a total of 2.77 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (MMboed). The increase was driven by a combination of positive factors: fewer scheduled maintenance shutdowns, greater operational efficiency in the Santos Basin, and the activation of new floating production units, known as FPSOs.
During the period, the company brought 11 new production wells into operation, six in the Campos Basin and five in the Santos Basin. These advances helped to mitigate the natural decline in production in mature fields, reinforcing the state-owned company’s strategy to maintain competitiveness in oil and natural gas exploration.
FPSO Almirante Tamandaré Begins Operations With High Production Capacity
One of the major milestones of the quarter was the start of production of the FPSO Almirante Tamandaré on February 15, in the Búzios field. The platform, located in the pre-salt of the Santos Basin, has a production capacity of 225,000 barrels of oil per day and can process up to 12 million cubic meters of natural gas daily.
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This unit is the first of six contracted with this same production capacity, with the next five being owned by Petrobras. The expectation is that the FPSO will reach its peak production by the end of this year.
Moreover, the system also stood out for its quick gas injection into the reservoir: only 49 days after the start of operations, surpassing the previous record of 52 days, established by another unit, the FPSO Almirante Barroso.
The Mero Field Strengthens With New Production and Platform Arrival
The Mero field, also in the pre-salt of the Santos Basin, recorded significant advancements. On February 12, the second production well of the FPSO Marechal Duque de Caxias began operations, reaching an operated daily production of around 95,000 barrels of oil. Petrobras estimates that this unit will reach its full capacity in the second quarter of 2025.
Another development was the arrival of the FPSO Alexandre de Gusmão at the same field, after departing from China in December 2024. The platform was anchored in a record time of just 10 days and is expected to begin operations between the second and third quarters of 2025. The unit has a production capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil per day and compresses 12 million m³ of natural gas.
State-Owned Company Breaks Production Records in the Pre-Salt
With the entry into operation of these new units, Petrobras set production records in the pre-salt during 1Q25:
- Operated Production of Oil and LGN: 2.77 MMboed, exceeding the previous record of 2.76 MMboed in the last quarter of 2023.
- Total Operated Production in the Pre-Salt: 3.38 MMboed, above the 3.34 MMboed recorded in 4Q24.
These numbers reflect the company’s consistent advancement in the extraction of oil and natural gas in deep waters, maintaining the pre-salt as a strategic pillar of its energy production.
Refining Prioritizes Pre-Salt Oil and Expands Derivative Participation
In the refining sector, Petrobras also demonstrated evolution. The share of oil from the pre-salt in the processed cargo rose to 73%, matching the previous record set in the third quarter of 2024 and surpassing the previous quarter by two percentage points.
Additionally, internal sales of derivatives grew by 2.9% year-on-year, with highlights for diesel, gasoline, and aviation kerosene. Even with the scheduled shutdown for modernization of Refinery Trem 1 (RNEST), the state-owned company achieved high yields of medium fuels and gasoline, which together accounted for 69% of the total derivatives produced in the quarter.
Petrobras Advances in Biofuels With Unique Operation in Asia
In line with its energy transition strategy, Petrobras conducted in February its first export of VLSFO (Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil) with 24% renewable content to the Asian market. The product, developed in partnership with Golden Island, consists of 76% mineral fuel oil and 24% UCOME, a biofuel derived from used cooking oil.
The operation was made possible by Petrobras Singapore, which holds ISCC EU (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) certification, ensuring the traceability and sustainability of the product exported to Singapore.
Petrobras Maintains Positive Outlook for 2025
The results presented reinforce Petrobras’s leading role in the oil and natural gas sector, with a focus on operational efficiency, increased production in the pre-salt, and the development of sustainable solutions. The new platforms and records achieved in 1Q25 position the state-owned company competitively for the coming quarters.
For access to the complete report released on April 29, 2025, the data is available on the official company website.
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