Some of the biggest majors present in Brazil have signed up to bid for offshore areas in the 15th Round. BP, Chevron, Exxon, Repsol, Shell and Total are already qualified for the auction, as well as Petrobras.
The ANP released a list with the approval of 13 of the 17 companies that have registered to participate in the bidding round. The others will be analyzed at the meeting of the Special Bidding Committee on March 5.
Besides the majors, Murphy, Petronas, Premier Oil and QPI are also registered for the offshore phase of the auction. Among the companies, the only one that has no concession in the country at the moment is the Malaysian Petronas.
Petronas has tried to buy a stake in the Tubarão Martelo field in the Campos Basin in 2013, but gave up after the financial problems of OGX, which operated in the area.
Four qualifying for onshore auction
Petrobras, Parnaíba Gás Natural (subsidiary of Eneva), Rosneft and Cobra are qualified for the onshore stage of the 15th Round. The Spanish Cobra group still does not have any E & P activity in Brazil, but has integrated generation projects in Spain and explores blocks in Mexico.
With the exception of Petrobras, the other three companies registered for the onshore round are focused on gas activities.
The 15th Round is scheduled for March 29 and will be the first time the ANP will separate offshore and onshore competitions in two stages, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
In all, 70 blocks will be offered (49 at sea and 21 at shore), distributed among the Ceará, Potiguar, Sergipe-Alagoas, Campos, Santos, Parnaíba and Paraná basins.
Source: Brazil Energy
Brazil Energy Insight 
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