Petrobras has reported hydrocarbon findings in the pre-salt of the Campos Basin. The company notified Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency (ANP) about the presence of oil traces in the Água Marinha block, in well 1-BRSA-1401DA-RJS. The well was drilled in July by the drillship Deepwater Aquila at a water depth of 2,601 meters.
The Água Marinha block was awarded in 2022 during the first cycle of the Permanent Production Sharing Offer and the production sharing contract was signed in May 2023. Petrobras operates the block with a 30% stake, alongside TotalEnergies (30%), PETRONAS (20%) and QatarEnergy (20%).
In the Campos Basin, Petrobras has announced plans to double production from the current 500,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) to 1 million boed by 2035. The company also intends to invest US$ 23 billion by 2029 in its Campos Basin Revitalization Program.
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Author: Rafael Bortoloti
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Petrobras: new oil discovey
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AKOFS secures new contract with Petrobras
AKOFS Offshore has secured a new four-year contract with Petrobras for the multipurpose support vessel (MPSV) AKOFS Santos. Built in 2009, the vessel will continue to provide subsea construction and well intervention services for the Brazilian company.
The new contract, valued at approximately USD 246 million, is set to begin in January 2027 following the conclusion of the current agreement Around USD 140 million will be recognized as revenue for AKOFS over the contract period.
Operations will be carried out in partnership with Bravante, which will provide marine support and IKM Subsea, responsible for remotely operated vehicle (ROV) services. With this award, AKOFS’ order backlog has reached about USD 612 million at the end of Q2 2025.
The company currently operates three specialized vessels: AKOFS Santos and Aker Wayfarer, both under contract with Petrobras in Brazil, and AKOFS Seafarer, operating with Equinor in the North Sea.
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TRANSPETRO Gas Carrier Tender — Update on Bid Qualification
Transpetro has announced the disqualification of IRUS Holding S.A. from Lot B of its ongoing Gas Carrier Newbuild Program (TP-25).
According to the Commission’s official communication, the decision is based on two points of non-compliance with the bidding notice and its addenda:
• Lack of detailed cost breakdowns in the DFP (item 3.2.2 vii);
• Absence of the required Consortium Formation Commitment Term (item 3.2.2 viii).The appeal phase will open only after publication of the final results of the tender.
With this update, the bidding process for the eight new LPG carriers — a key component of Brazil’s coastal gas logistics plan — moves closer to its conclusion.
WSB Advisors continues to monitor every stage of the TP-25 fleet renewal program, which now enters its decisive evaluation phase, determining the shipyards responsible for constructing this strategic segment of the national fleet. -
Petobras Vaca Muerta
Petrobras completed a pilot import of natural gas produced in the Vaca Muerta (Neuquén Basin) on October 3, moving about 100,000 cubic meters via existing pipeline routes through Bolivia into Brazil. The transport, carried out under an arrangement with Petrobras Operaciones S.A. (POSA) and Gas Bridge (Pluspetrol), is described as an experimental step that could allow interruptible imports of up to 2 million m³ under the agreement.
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Modec advances FPSO Gato do Mato construction
Modec has advanced to a new construction phase of the FPSO Gato do Mato for the Santos Basin pre-salt, carrying out hull block cutting at COSCO Qidong in China after forward block fabrication began earlier this year at Sumitomo in Japan. The unit is planned for installation at roughly 2,000 m water depth, with capacity up to 120,000 bpd and first oil targeted for 2029.
steel strike ceremony for the FPSO Gato do Mato (Source: MODEC) -
Enseada shipyard boosting Bahia with constructions
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will visit Bahia on October 9 to inaugurate BYD’s factory in Camaçari and is scheduled to announce the order of six Petrobras PSVs construction at shipyard Enseada, in Maragogipe. The package, worth about R$3 billion and financed through the Merchant Marine Fund (FMM), covers the construction of six PSV-OSRV units under the supervision of CMM.
Deliveries are scheduled between 2028 and 2029. Enseada is also currently engaged in building 80 mining barges for LHG Mining in partnership with Tenenge. The first units were delivered in October 2025 and the program is planned for completion in 2028. This project is likewise financed by the Merchant Marine Fund, with BNDES acting as financial agent.
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FPSO P-91 bid
Petrobras has started the BID for the construction of the FPSO Búzios 12 (P-91), which will be installed in the Santos Basin (Rio de Janeiro) and serve as a hub for natural gas export. The unit will process both its own production and gas from other platforms in the Búzios field. It will have the capacity to produce 180,000 barrels of oil and 12 million cubic meters of gas per day, connected to 16 wells.
The gas will be transported to the Boaventura Energy Complex via the Rota 3 pipeline. The project is a partnership between Petrobras, CNPC, and CNOOC, reinforcing Búzios as the company’s main production field. The contract follows the BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) model and requires a minimum of 25% local content.
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Open tenders & More
What has changed?
Petrobras up to 6x PSVs Opportunity 7004439824 new deadline October 20th, 2025.
Petrobras FPSO SEAP-I e SEAP-II (BOT): Opportunity 7004338481 new deadline October 15th, 2025.
Petrobras At least 1x FSC 10/25/60: Opportunity 7004480345 new deadline October 20th, 2025;
What Else is Happening?
Transocean announced new contract extensions for two of its ultra-deepwater drillships, totaling about $243 million in backlog: BP extended the Deepwater Atlas contract by 365 days in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, adding around $232 million. Besides that, Petrobras extended the Deepwater Mykonos contract by 30 days in Brazil, contributing approximately $11 million. Both extensions are direct continuations of existing contracts.
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PPSA auction
The National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) has approved a resolution authorizing Pré-Sal Petróleo (PPSA) to conduct Brazil’s first auction for the sale of the Union’s rights and obligations under Production Individualization Agreements (AIPs). The process covers uncontracted areas of the Mero, Atapu, and Tupi shared reservoirs, all operated by Petrobras.
The unprecedented measure establishes the technical and economic parameters for the bidding process, including the minimum price to be observed by PPSA. The auction is expected to raise R$ 14.8 billion for the Union, a figure already included in the government’s revenue projections.
PPSA is expected to publish a public notice detailing the minimum bid amounts and other conditions. The auction winner will assume the Union’s rights and obligations in line with existing contracts, including requirements for decommissioning, environmental recovery and operational continuity.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
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Petrobras SOV BID
Petrobras has released the commercial ranking of the bid to charter up to six Service Operation Vessels (SOVs), under Opportunity 7004478234, which has been open for three months. Bidders in general submitted competitive offers, with Solstad taking the lead in Lot A. Another highlight is CMM’s Norwind Storm. Although positioned to be awarded, the vessel is already committed to another Petrobras SOV tender. In Lot B, Posidonia stood out with the Pelagic Walu, offering a daily rate below USD 69,000.
Lot A covers up to three SOVs with delivery expected by June 2026, while Lot B includes up to six SOVs with delivery expected by September 2026. However, three of the vessels in Lot B will only be contracted if Lot A is not awarded in full.
To qualify, vessels must provide accommodation for at least 60 people, be equipped with DP2 capability, a gangway and a 200 m² deck area, among other requirements.
Stay informed on key offshore developments — visit wsb-one.com, our data platform trusted by leading offshore companies.
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FPSO P-78 in Brazil
The FPSO P-78 arrived this Tuesday (September 30) at the Búzios Field, in the Santos Basin, located in ultra-deep waters up to 2,100 meters deep and about 180 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The unit departed from the Benoi shipyard in Singapore on July 13 and will soon begin operations for Petrobras.
In an official statement, Petrobras emphasized that the voyage was carried out with the crew on board, a strategy that will enable production to start about two weeks earlier than the traditional schedule. Before first oil, anchoring and interconnection to the producing wells will take place, a process expected to last around two months.
The FPSO has a processing capacity of 180,000 barrels of oil per day and can compress 7.2 million cubic meters of gas per day. The P-78 joins the FPSOs P-74, P-75, P-76, P-77, Almirante Barroso and Almirante Tamandaré already in operation at Búzios. The project includes 13 wells, with 6 producers (2 convertible to injectors), 6 WAG injectors, and 1 gas injector.
Petrobras expects to have the P-79, P-80, P-82, and P-83 in operation at Búzios by 2027. The field already produces close to 1 million boed and is expected to reach 1.5 million boed by 2030, consolidating its position as the largest deepwater development in the world.
Visit wsb-one.com for detailed insights on Brazil’s FPSO and rig fleet, including production figures, construction updates, and future deployment schedules.
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Bid postponed
Petrobras has postponed the bid deadline to charter up to 6 PSVs (Opportunity 7004439824) to October 20, 2025—extending the original October 3 deadline.