ANP announces five areas for 5th pre-salt auction

April 11, 2018 – Felipe Maciel

The ANP board approved the nomination of five areas for the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) to hold the 5th round of the pre-salt, due to take place in August. The auction will offer blocks SM-645 and SM-534, taken from the 15th round last month, the Saturn area, which was scheduled to be auctioned at the 4th pre-salt auction, as well as two other blocks not yet announced . The National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) is due to hold an extraordinary meeting by the end of the month to authorize the bidding.

Blocks S-M-534 and S-M-645 had a minimum bonus of R $ 3.55 billion in the 15th round. And the Saturn area, a fixed bond of R $ 1.41 billion. It is possible, however, that these numbers may change, since the prerogative to define the values ​​in the production-sharing auctions is of the CNPE.

The 5th round of the pre-salt is part of an agreement drawn by the MME, ANP and the Federal Court of Audit (TCU) to make the competition viable after the TCU determined the removal of the blocks from the 15th round.

The areas that would be offered in the 5th pre-salt auction, which was scheduled for the second half of 2019, will be offered at the 6th pre-salt auction scheduled for the same date. Petrobras may exercise preference in the three areas, as the contracts will be tendered in the production sharing model.