The family went into debt for R$ 15,000 to find water, discovered possible oil in Ceará, and now says they would have preferred a thousand times to have hit the well.

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 24/03/2026 at 07:28

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Discovery in Tabuleiro do Norte mobilizes ANP, but family that invested R$ 15 thousand in the well remains without water and awaits promised pipeline for March

The finding of a dark liquid oil in a well drilled in Tabuleiro do Norte, Ceará, led to an investigation by the ANP, but did not solve the family’s lack of water that invested R$ 15 thousand in the well.

Discovery

The drilling took place in November 2024, in the rural area of the municipality. Farmer Sidrônio Moreira, 63, wanted water for his family and for production.

Instead of water, a dark liquid emerged. In 2025, laboratory tests indicated that the substance has the same physical-chemical characteristics as oil from deposits in the Potiguar Basin, in Rio Grande do Norte.

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Scarcity

Sidrônio and his wife, Maria Luciene, live with their two children in Sítio Santo Estevão, about 35 km from the center of Tabuleiro do Norte. Without piped water, the family depends on a pipeline and water trucks.

The income comes from the couple’s pensions and the sale of animals, beans, and corn. The stored water needs to be rationed for consumption, daily tasks, and raising animals.

For drinking, the family buys mineral water.

Sidnei Moreira, Sidrônio’s son and sales manager, stated that the priority was to find water to face the scarcity on the property, especially due to the father’s age and the raising of animals.

Debt to open the well

To make the first well viable, Sidrônio used part of his savings and took out a loan of R$ 15 thousand. Later, the family drilled a second, shallower well, but did not find water.

Besides not solving the supply issue, the drilling left a debt. Without immediate returns, the family awaits a response from the ANP and cannot proceed with new inadequate attempts.

Sidrônio said he took out the loan excited to drill the well, but ended up without water and without the R$ 15 thousand. Now, he lives in hope for improvement, with finances compromised.

And if it is oil?

Even if oil is confirmed, the family will not be able to explore or sell the resource. Under Brazilian law, oil belongs to the Union, and exploration can only be done by authorized companies.

Still, Sidrônio could have financial returns if the area undergoes exploration in the future, because the landowner has the right to receive a percentage of the profit obtained.

The farmers have also been warned about the risks of a new inadequate drilling. There is a possibility that the oil could reach the aquifer and contaminate the region’s water, which is why the family awaits safe guidance.

Pipeline

The case began in November 2024, but only this year did the ANP visit the site for the first time. Meanwhile, the lack of water remains a problem for the family.

The vice-mayor of Tabuleiro do Norte, Antério Fernandes, stated that a pipeline is under construction in the rural area and should serve more than 700 families, including Sidrônio and Luciene’s family, by the end of March.

With information from G1.

The family went into debt for R$ 15,000 to find water, discovered possible oil in Ceará, and now says they would have preferred a thousand times to have hit the well.