Which are the 15 companies that have expressed interest in the 4th pre-salt auction?

The National Petroleum Agency (ANP) announced on Tuesday that it had received 15 expressions of interest for the 4th pre-salt auction, which will take place on June 7. Applications for registration will still be analyzed by the Special Bidding Commission (CEL), which empowers companies that can participate in the competition.

The bidding is for the areas of Itaimbezinho, Três Marias, Dois Irmãos and Uirapuru in the Campos and Santos Basins. Petrobras has indicated that it will exercise preemptive rights in the areas of Dois Irmãos, Três Marias and Uirapuru in the auction. The company requested the minimum percentage of 30% in each area and if maintained the percentage will have to disburse R $ 945 million.

And which companies will participate in the auction?

Petrobras is one of the 13 companies that will be in the 4th auction of the pre-salt. The ANP has not yet officially announced the 15 other companies that will participate in the competition, but a look at the list of qualified for the 3rd pre-salt auction – which had 14 companies, including Petrobras – is a good start.

1 BP Energy do Brasil Ltda. Enabled (Operator A)

2 Chevron Brazil Ventures LLC. Enabled (Operator A)

3 CNODC Brasil Petróleo e Gás Ltda. Enabled(Non-Operator)

4 CNOOC Petroleum Brasil Ltda. Enabled (Operator A)

5 Ecopetrol S.A. Enabled (Non-Operator)

6 ExxonMobil Exploração Brasil Ltda. Enabled (Operator A)

7 Petrogal Brasil S.A. Enabled (Non-Operator)

8 Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. Enabled (Operator A)

9 QPI Brasil Petróleo Ltda. Enabled (Non-Operator)

10 Repsol Exploración S.A. Enabled (Operator A)

11 Shell Brasil Petróleo Ltda. Enabled (Operator A

12 Statoil Brasil Óleo e Gás Ltda. Enabled (Operator A)

13 Total E & P do Brasil Ltda. Enabled (Operator A)

Assuming that the above 14 companies will return to the next pre-salt auction, we must find two other oil companies to close the list of 16 expressions of interest. Looking at the companies entered in the 15th round of the ANP last month, and seeing who bid on the concession auctions since last year, it will not be surprising if Wintershall and Murphy Oil qualify as non-operators in the auction.

The government intends to hold an extraordinary meeting of the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) in May to approve the 5th round of pre-salt areas, which will have the SM-645 and SM-534 exploratory blocks removed from the 15th round of the ANP, and the Saturn area, all in the Santos Basin. Also at the May meeting, the CNPE must decide on the surplus auction of the onerous assignment. The government’s goal is to hold both bids until September.