en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 14, Petrobras discovered hydrocarbons in the Morpho exploration well in Block FZA-M-59, offshore Amapá State, Brazil. Located in the Amazon River Mouth Basin, the well is approximately 175 kilometers off the coast of Amapá State and nearly 500 kilometers from the Amazon River mouth, at a water depth of 2,886 meters. This marks Petrobras' first hydrocarbon discovery offshore Amapá State.
The Morpho well is designated 1-BRSA-1405-APS. Hydrocarbon-bearing intervals were confirmed through electrical well log data and hydrocarbon shows in rock samples. Drilling operations are ongoing, and subsequent evaluations will address the relevant formations, hydrocarbon composition, and resource conditions. The current exploration results have not yet reached the stages of reserve certification, field development, or commercial production.
The drilling permit for this well took nearly five years to be approved. In May 2023, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) rejected the drilling permit application for Block FZA-M-59. Petrobras subsequently revised its environmental licensing documentation and conducted an on-site drilling emergency response drill in the area in August 2025. After the drill passed evaluation, Ibama issued the operating license on October 20 of the same year, authorizing the company to drill one exploration well in the block.
At the time the license was issued, the drilling rig had already arrived at the operation site, with the initial drilling period estimated at approximately five months. In January 2026, a leak of synthetic drilling fluid occurred in an auxiliary pipeline connected to the drilling rig, temporarily suspending operations at the Morpho well. After the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) completed its inspections, drilling was approved to resume in February, and subsequent operations continued until the discovery of the hydrocarbon-bearing intervals.
Block FZA-M-59 was originally acquired by BP and Petrobras in Brazil's 11th oil and gas block bidding round in 2013, with the two companies holding 70% and 30% stakes, respectively. BP transferred operatorship of the block to Petrobras in 2020, after which Petrobras acquired BP's entire stake and obtained regulatory approval in 2021. Currently, Petrobras serves as the operator of the block with a 100% interest.
Petrobras is conducting exploration in this block under a concession model. At this stage, the Morpho well is tasked with acquiring geological data and validating resource conditions. The drilling and evaluation results will be used to determine whether additional exploration wells are needed and whether further evaluation of the hydrocarbon-bearing structures is required.
