STORY-TRÅD·politik

Petrobras negotiates oil exploration in Ghana

Petrobras announced on Friday (Aug. 21) its interest in engaging in oil exploration in Ghana, a country of about 35 million people on the west coast of Africa. The decision is part of the state-run oil giant’s effort to find new frontiers for oil and gas production, with the African continent as one of the chosen areas. Notícias relacionadas:Petrobras reports oil discovery at mouth of Amazon river.Petrobras discovers more natural gas off Colombia’s coast.The company’s new plan was announced on Friday (21) in a statement to investors. The expression of interest is focused on exploration blocks – the pre-production phase – in offshore areas, that is, at sea, within the Keta basin. According to Petrobras, Ghana’s Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has approved the company’s eligibility to negotiate contracts for four blocks. The state-owned company explains that this approval allows it to enter “the phase of direct negotiation of the terms of the exploration contracts.” Petrobras around the world Currently in Africa, Petrobras operates in Namibia, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Africa. In São Tomé and Príncipe, the company holds interests in four exploration blocks, three of which are operated by the Anglo-Dutch company Shell. In South Africa, the company holds an interest in the Deep Western Orange Basin (Dwob) block, operated by the French company TotalEnergies. In Namibia, Petrobras has signed a contract to acquire an interest in Block 2613 and is awaiting confirmation of entry from the country’s government authorities. Once the consortium is approved, TotalEnergies will also serve as the operator. The Brazilian company also has a presence in Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, and the US. In June 2026, it signed a memorandum of understanding to establish strategic and technical cooperation with the Mexican state-owned company Pemex, with a focus on the Gulf of Mexico. Equatorial Margin Petrobras’ move comes as the company advances its oil exploration efforts in the Equatorial Margin, on Brazil’s far northern coast. The region is considered to have great potential, much like the pre-salt layer in the southeastern sea, which accounts for more than 83 percent of Petrobras’s own oil and gas production (excluding the share of consortium partners). This week, the company detailed the first oil discoveries in the Morpho well, in block BM-FZA-59, 175 km from Oiapoque, in Amapá, about 500 km from the mouth of the Amazon river. The company is continuing drilling operations to determine the reservoir’s capacity and conducting laboratory analyses to assess the oil’s quality. Petrobras has stated that pre-salt production is expected to peak around 2034 if reserves are not expanded.