US supermajor ExxonMobil has added a trio of offshore exploration blocks in the deep-water section of the Sergipe-Alagoas basin to its growing portfolio off Brazil during the inaugural round of the permanent offer initiative.

ExxonMobil on 50%, Brazilian independent Enauta on 30% and US independent Murphy Oil on 20% acquired blocks SEAL-M-505, SEAL-M-575 and SEAL-M-637 for a combined signature bonus of 7.8 million reais ($1.9 million).

The consortium has committed to total investments of 97 million reais, but this will only include seismic and no wells. The same consortium already operates six offshore blocks in Sergipe-Alagoas.

The Brazilian National Petroleum Agency earlier offered 15 blocks in the shallow-water portion of the Campos basin, but no bids were submitted.

In the onshore Parnaiba basin, Brazilian independent Eneva won six more blocks in an area where it already operates a successful gas-to-wire model.

The company bid alone and secured blocks PN-T-47, PN-T-48A, PN-T-66, PN-T-67A, PN-T-68 and PN-T-102A for a total signature bonus of 3.5 million reais.

US-based Petro-Victory bid aggressively for onshore tracts in the mature Potiguar basin, taking home 15 blocks – POT-T-392, POT-T-432, POT-T-433, POT-T-434, POT-T-476, POT-T-477, POT-T-478, POT-T-519, POT-T-521, POT-T-564, POT-T-566, POT-T-606, POT-T-650, POT-T-651 and POT-T-652 – for 3.2 million reais.

Phoenix grabbed blocks POT-T-565 and POT-T-610, Imetame landed block POT-T-740 and Geopark won block POT-T-834.

In the Reconcavo basin, where production started in 1939, Geopark acquired blocks REC-T-58, REC-T-67 and REC-T-77, while a consortium made up of Petroil on 50% and Oil Group on 50% secured blocks REC-T-110 and REC-T-121.

There was some competition for areas with marginal accumulation. In the Potiguar basin, Petro-Victory outbid rivals Phoenix and Creative Energy to win the Trapia field with an offer of about 421,000 reais. A consortium made up of Petromais on 50% and Eagle on 50% grabbed the Tiziu field.

A consortium featuring Pericia on 50% and Andorinha on 50% placed a strong bid worth 787,750 reais to purchase the Piacabucu field in the Sergipe-Alagoas basin.

Creative defeated strong competition from four groups to land the Camacari field in the Reconcavo basin for 1.5 million reais. Creative also secured the Rio Joanes field by outbidding three companies.

The Fazenda Sori and Pojuca Norte fields went to a consortium made up of Brasil Refinarias on 50% and Guindastes Locacoes on 50%. Great Energy won the Lagoa Verde field and the Petromais-Eagle partnership acquired the Fazenda Gameleira field.

In the onshore Espirito Santo basin, the Petromais-Eagle consortium landed the Saira and Mosquito fields for 2.4 million reais and 601,500 reais, respectively. Imetame won the Lagoa Parda Sul field.

Exploration

ExxonMobil wins trio of blocks in Brazil round