Petrobras has announced a new oil discovery in the Marlim Sul field in the pre-salt layer of the Campos Basin off the coast of Brazil.
According to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, the find was made through an exploration well, 3-BRSA-1397-RJS. The well was drilled 113km offshore from Campos dos Goytacazes in Rio de Janeiro at a water depth of 1,178m.
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Identification of the oil-bearing interval was based on wireline logs, hydrocarbon shows and fluid sampling.
These samples will undergo laboratory analysis to evaluate the characteristics of the discovered reservoirs and fluids, facilitating further assessment of the area’s potential.
The Marlim Sul field has been under Petrobras’ operation since its discovery in November 1987 via well 4-RJS-382.
Petrobras, which has full ownership of the field, reported that drilling operations related to 3-BRSA-1397-RJS concluded safely, following health, safety and environmental standards.
Petrobras is working in the Campos Basin to replace reserves in an aging, long-producing region, supporting the company’s long-term viability and helping meet Brazil’s energy needs as the country broadens its energy mix.
Prior to this, Petrobras announced a new gas discovery at the Copoazu-1 exploratory well in Block GUA-OFF-O in Colombia’s deep offshore waters. This find strengthens both the gas province and the potential for gas resources offshore Colombia, contributing to regional energy security with increased gas reserves.
Located approximately 36km from the coastline, the Copoazu-1 well is situated at a water depth of 964m and is positioned 8km from both the Sirius-1 discovery and the Sirius-2 appraisal wells.
Drilling operations at Copoazu-1 commenced in November 2025 and are proceeding safely, with due consideration for environmental and human factors.
In recent years, oil has emerged as Brazil’s leading export, with the country benefitting from higher global oil prices, according to a GlobalData TS Lombard report authored by Elizabeth Johnson.
Brazil’s investment in oil and gas production has made it less vulnerable to prevailing oil shocks, even as it pursues renewable energy leadership.
Since becoming a net exporter in 2006, Brazil remains dependent on international markets for refined products, particularly diesel, due to insufficient refining capacity.
Despite increased domestic output, diesel imports rose by almost 20% to 17.3 billion litres last year.
