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Petrobras finds new oil-bearing interval in Morpho well

By Drooid · Oct 3, 2026, 2:36 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Petrobras Discovers Oil Interval

Petrobras discovered an additional oil-bearing interval in the Morpho well (1-BRSA-1405-APS) offshore Amapá.
The well is in block FZA-M-59 at about 2,886 meters water depth.
Petrobras identified the interval using electrical logs, rock indications and drilling fluid samples.
Laboratory analysis of the new samples is underway, but no resource estimate or development plan has been disclosed.
The new interval follows an earlier oil discovery in the same well announced in August 2026.

Summary

Prosecutors Request Drill Halt

Federal prosecutors asked the TRF-1 appeals court to suspend drilling in block FZA-M-59.
Prosecutors cite an 18,000-litre drilling-fluid spill in January as environmental risk evidence.
A September 23 judge dismissed the earlier lawsuit and fined prosecutors for alleged bad-faith litigation.
Ibama granted the original drilling licence in October 2025 and approved three additional wells in September.
Petrobras says its studies show no direct social or environmental impact from the operations.

History

Historical Context

On April 20, 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, spilling about 4.9 million barrels of oil over 87 days and prompting a $20 billion Gulf Coast claims fund and a six-month offshore drilling moratorium. The disaster spurred federal investigations and new safety rules. Brazil’s federal prosecutors now seek to halt Petrobras drilling in block FZA-M-59 after an 18,000-litre fluid leak, echoing the tighter oversight born from the 2010 spill.

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Petrobras Discovers Oil Interval

Petrobras discovered an additional oil-bearing interval in the Morpho well (1-BRSA-1405-APS) offshore Amapá.
The well is in block FZA-M-59 at about 2,886 meters water depth.
Petrobras identified the interval using electrical logs, rock indications and drilling fluid samples.
Laboratory analysis of the new samples is underway, but no resource estimate or development plan has been disclosed.
The new interval follows an earlier oil discovery in the same well announced in August 2026.

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