The Brazilian National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) has announced that eight exploratory blocks are currently available under the Permanent Production Sharing Offer (OPP). This means that any of the 15 companies currently registered in the OPP may initiate a new bidding cycle by submitting a declaration of interest in one or more blocks, accompanied by a bid guarantee.

At present, the tender includes the following blocks: Jade, Ágata, Amazonita, Safira Leste, and Safira Oeste in the Santos Basin, and Larimar, Turmalina, and Ônix in the Campos Basin.

In addition, two more blocks — Cruzeiro do Sul and Mogno, both in the Santos Basin — may be added to the tender, as they have already been approved by the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) and have received a joint statement from the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the Ministry of the Environment (MMA). The ANP has already begun the process of including these areas in the OPP notice, which is expected to be republished in 2026.

Another 16 blocks in the Santos Basin approved by the CNPE are still awaiting a joint statement from the MME and MMA before they can be added to the OPP: Rubi, Granada, Aragonita, Calcedônia, Cerussita, Malaquita, Opala, Quartzo, Rodocrosita, Siderita, Hematita, Limonita, Magnetita, Calcita, Azurita, and Dolomita. If these approvals are issued during the republication process, these blocks may also be incorporated into the Permanent Production Sharing Offer.

In other words, the current tender includes eight blocks, but this number could increase to 26 blocks after all CNPE-approved areas are incorporated.

The launch of the 4th OPP cycle will depend on companies’ interest, meaning that it is not yet possible to predict when the new cycle will begin or which blocks will be offered.

Third Cycle of the OPP: Five Blocks Awarded

In the 3rd OPP Cycle, held on October 22 by the ANP, five of the seven available blocks were awarded: Esmeralda and Ametista in the Santos Basin, and Citrino, Itaimbezinho, and Jaspe in the Campos Basin.

The signature bonuses for these five blocks — fixed and defined in the OPP notice — totaled R$ 103,728,181.09. The investments projected for the exploration phase alone may reach R$ 451,498,600.00.

Learn more: ANP – 3rd OPP Cycle results (in Portuguese)