Petrobras secures approval for three Amazon wells

Petrobras secured regulatory approval to drill three new exploratory wells in the Foz do Amazonas basin, following an updated operating license issued by Brazil's environmental agency Ibama. The company confirmed that production in the area could potentially begin within seven years if the reserves prove commercially viable.

The authorization, signed on 3 September by Ibama President Jair Schmitt, rectifies Operating License 1684 for activities in block 59. Petrobras will now plan the completion of the Morpho well, followed by drilling the Manga, Crotalus, and Morpho Extensão wells. Under the terms of the decision, the company must submit an updated project schedule within 30 days of receiving the license after initially filing the request in August.

The campaign faces scrutiny from Brazil's Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), which demanded clarifications from Ibama regarding conflicting information about the project's timeline. While agency representatives told a federal court hearing in April of last year that exploration would last about six months, subsequent administrative records showed a four-well campaign running from 2025 to 2029. The MPF warned that multi-year activities could generate cumulative impacts on marine fauna, artisanal fishing, and traditional communities.