Petrobras Takes Legal Action Against Murphy Oil

June 8 – Petrobras has filed a lawsuit in the United States against Murphy Oil Corp., its partner in operations in the Gulf of Mexico. In a lawsuit filed in a Texas court, the Brazilian state-owned company alleges that it has identified more than US$5 million in expenses improperly charged by the American company.

Petrobras claims that an audit conducted in 2022 revealed unauthorized expenses charged by Murphy, which is why it is seeking full reimbursement of these amounts in court.

In the United States, Petrobras operates in deepwater fields in the Gulf of Mexico through its subsidiary Petrobras America. The company holds a 20% stake in a joint venture operated by Murphy Oil, which owns the remaining 80%. Among the main assets of the joint venture are stakes in the Saint Malo, Dalmatian, and Chinook fields. In 2025, Petrobras’ share in these projects corresponded to an unconsolidated production of 6.9 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Petrobras maintains that Murphy used its position as operator to hinder financial adjustments and avoid addressing questions related to disputed expenses.