Rio de Janeiro – Average oil and gas output at the pre-salt layer reached an all-time high in September this year. According to figures released this Thursday (8th) by the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuel Agency (ANP, in the Portuguese acronym), 220,100 barrels of oil equivalent were extracted on average per day, being 182,600 barrels of petroleum and 5.9 million cubic meters of natural gas. The volume was up 8.3% from the preceding month.
For the third consecutive month, pre-salt output exceeded 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent. According to the ANP, three new wells went into operation in September at Espírito Santo state’s Baleia Azul field, which Petrobras operates. One of these new wells already ranks among the 30 highest-producing wells in the country, with a daily output of 15,600 barrels.
ANP figures show that despite the increase in pre-salt output, total national oil output saw a 4% decline, at 1.92 million barrels per day in September. In turn, natural gas output was up 9.9% in September from August, at 71.7 million cubic metres per day, according to the agency. Offshore operations have accounted for 89.9% of oil output and 76% of natural gas output.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
