Petrobras postpones 28 rig tenders

Brazilian state oil company Petrobras has postponed construction tenders for 28 deep-sea drilling rigs to the coming year.

The rigs were to be tendered exclusively to Brazilian construction companies this year.

"These are no longer the conditions to issue the tender this year," said Jose Jorge de Moraes Jr, general manager for new business at the company's exploration and production department.

However, Moraes sees an upside to the current global economic crisis, in that it may lead to lower prices for rigs in the short term, said a Dow Jones Newswires report.

This would allow Petrobras to cut its oil exploration and production costs in the sub-salt layer off Brazil's southeastern coast.

According to Moraes, the current price of oil at around $60 a barrel is an impediment to developing the sub-salt layer, and this area is one of Petrobras' priorities.

Moraes also said that Petrobras plans to return to drilling in the Jupiter, Iara and Azulao (formerly Ogum) blocs in 2009.

Azulao is operated by ExxonMobil near the Tupi Block in the Santos basin, off the coast of Sao Paulo state.

It was hoped the company would have 14 rigs drilling in the blocks in 2012 and produce 1 million barrels a day in 2015, said Moraes.