Rio de Janeiro – The board of the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) approved last Wednesday (1st) the suspension of the 17th Bid Round of oil and natural gas exploration and production areas under the concession regime that was scheduled to occur later this year.
The agency followed the decision of the Ministry of Mines and Energy that had asked for the suspension of all actions concerning the round, specifically those related to the publication of the pre-notice and draft contract, given the current economic and social scenario caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) will define a new schedule for the bid, which will be submitted to the evaluation of its members. Overall, 128 will be tendered. The selected sectors are in the Campos and Santos basins (out of the pre-salt polygon) as well as Pará-Maranhão, Potiguar and Pelotas basins, amounting to 64,100 square kilometers.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
