QatarEnergy, in a consortium with Brazil’s state energy producer, Petrobras, has won seven offshore exploration blocks in a concession licensing round organised by Brazil’s National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP).

The exploration blocks ANP awarded in the 6th concession open-acreage bid round are CE-M-471, CE-M-473, CE-M-475, CE-M-477, CE-M-537, CE-M-539 and CE-M-665. The blocks are located in the Ceara Basin along Brazil’s northeastern Equatorial Margin.

QatarEnergy will hold a 30% participating interest, with Petrobras holding the majority 70% stake.

The Equatorial Margin blocks cover about 4,700 square kilometres (sq km) and lie in water depths of about 2,000-3,600 metres.

“The concession contracts further strengthen and expand QatarEnergy’s upstream position in Brazil and are expected to be signed in the first half of 2027,” the state energy enterprise said in a statement.

QatarEnergy already holds working interests in producing fields and several exploration blocks in Brazil.

Prior to winning a stake in these seven offshore exploration blocks, QatarEnergy secured a 20% equity interest in the Agua-Marinha production-sharing contract (PSC) awarded by ANP, under Brazil’s 1st cycle permanent offer round in 2023.

Under the terms of the PSC and associated agreements, the remaining stakes in the Agua-Marinha concession are held by the operator Petrobras (30%), France’s TotalEnergies (30%) and the Brazilian subsidiary of Malaysia’s Petronas, Petroleo Brasil (20%).

The Agua-Marinha block covers 1,300 sq km. It is located in water depths of about 2,000 metres off the coast of Rio de Janeiro in the prolific Campos Basin.

In November 2022, QatarEnergy announced a discovery in Brazil’s Sepia offshore oil field, in which it holds a 21% interest. The announcement came less than a year after it acquired the stake.