São Paulo – Out of 240 onshore gas exploration blocks auctioned by Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency (ANP), 72 were purchased at an auction held this Thursday (28th) in Rio de Janeiro. The government raised R$ 165.2 million (US$ 71.5 million) with the sale of these areas, which, according to the ANP, should see over R$ 500 million (US$ 216.6 million) in investment.
Petrobras had the winning bid in 49 blocks, either alone or in consortiums. Of these, the Brazilian state-owned oil company will operate 43. A total of 12 companies have won bids for gas blocks: GDF Suez, Alvopetro, Companhia Paranaense de Energia, Bayar, Cowan, Geopark, Nova Petróleo, Ouro Preto, Petrobras, Tucumann, Petra Energia and Trayectoria.
According to an ANP press statement, the agency’s CEO, Magda Chambriard, noted that out of the 72 blocks purchased, 54 are located in the Recôncavo and Sergipe-Alagoas basins. She also rated the results obtained at the Paraná Basin as a “success.” Blocks were also sold in the Acre and Parnaíba basins. No bids were made for blocks located in the basins of Parecis, in the state of Mato Grosso, and São Francisco, in the state of Minas Gerais.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
