Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras and US supermajor ExxonMobil are closing in on an ambitious three-well wildcatting campaign in the ultra-deep waters of the Campos basin off Brazil.

According to documents obtained exclusively by Upstream, the partners are looking to start the pre-salt programme later this quarter with the drilling of two wells in Block C-M-346 and one well in Block C-M-411.

Prized blocks

Petrobras and ExxonMobil in a 50:50 alliance in September 2017 acquired six exploration blocks in the centre section of the Campos basin in Brazil’s 14th licensing round, including the prized C-M-346 and C-M-411 permits for hefty signature bonuses of $713.6