Petrobras Commits R$3.22 Billion In Signature Bonuses For 21 Offshore Blocks Won In Two ANP Auctions
The company took blocks in the Campos, Santos and Ceará basins, adding more than 18,000 km² to its exploration portfolio, it said.
Petrobras will owe R$ 3,219,251,245.60 in signature bonuses by December 30, 2026 for 21 exploration blocks it won across two Brazilian auction cycles, the company said in a release dated Thursday and furnished to the SEC on Form 6-K. It took 100% of most of the blocks and a 70% operated stake in seven Ceará Basin blocks alongside QatarEnergy Brasil.
What the release says
Petrobras took part in the 4th Production Sharing Permanent Offer Cycle and the 6th Concession Permanent Offer Cycle, both run by Brazil's oil regulator, the ANP.
In the production-sharing cycle, it won the Azurita block in the Campos Basin and the Cruzeiro do Sul block in the Santos Basin, each at 100%. The bonuses total R$ 232,400,884.50: R$ 98,365,884.50 for Azurita and R$ 134,035,000.00 for Cruzeiro do Sul.
In this cycle the bonus was fixed in the bidding terms. The winner was decided on the share of profit oil, the oil left after costs, going to the federal government. The government share was 30.00% on Azurita and 15.27% on Cruzeiro do Sul.
In the concession cycle, Petrobras won 12 Campos Basin blocks at 100%: C-M-111, C-M-159, C-M-113, C-M-115, C-M-161, C-M-163, C-M-165, C-M-214, C-M-216, C-M-281, C-M-283 and C-M-352. Their bonuses come to R$ 2,966,928,361.10.
It also won seven Ceará Basin blocks as operator, with 70% held by Petrobras and 30% by QatarEnergy Brasil. Those bonuses total R$ 19,922,000.00, bringing the concession cycle to R$ 2,986,850,361.10.
Work commitments and strategy
Concession bids were judged on the signature bonus and a minimum work obligation, measured in Work Units, covering exploration-phase activities. The Campos blocks carry 4003 Work Units; the Ceará blocks carry 780.
Petrobras said it took part selectively and added more than 18,000 km² to its exploration portfolio. It said the participation fits its long-term strategy, strengthens its position as the leading operator of ultra-deepwater oil fields and improves reserve replacement opportunities.
The Campos concession blocks account for most of the money: R$ 2,966,928,361.10 of the R$ 3,219,251,245.60 total.
Wider exploration push
Zacks Equity Research reported on Yahoo Finance that Petrobras made a second oil discovery in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, and that its 2026-2030 plan allocates $2.5 billion for 15 Equatorial Margin exploration wells. A separate report said it and Ecopetrol completed a Colombian offshore campaign of five wells.
In market data as of Thursday at 8:04 a.m. ET, the stock was at $23.99, up 0.80%, with a market value of $154.6 billion.
The next dated item is December 30, 2026, the deadline the release gives for paying the signature bonuses.
