Petrobras confirms second oil discovery in the Morpho well and projects new frontier in Foz do Amazonas

The president of Petrobras, Magda Chambriard, said this Friday (2) that the second discovery of oil in the Morpho well, in the Foz do Amazonas basin, increases expectations for the opening of a new exploratory frontier in the country.

The well identified as 1-BRSA-1405-APS is located in ultra-deep waters, at a water depth (sea depth at the site of operation) of 2,886 meters, 175 kilometers off the coast of Amapá.

"We still can't guarantee it, but everything indicates that we are truly opening a new exploratory frontier. There is optimism that this frontier will help mitigate the production deficit in Brazil. We don't know if we will have a discovery with commercial value, but everything indicates yes", said Magda.

A study by the Energy Research Company (EPE), linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, estimates that the total potential recoverable volume of the Foz do Amazonas Basin could reach 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent ─ a measure that combines barrels of oil and cubic meters of natural gas.

The first discovery of oil in the Morpho well had occurred in August this year.

"All the steps so far are confirming the previous ones and warming up the area. With each new news, we are increasing the value of these exploratory areas for Petrobras. We are warming up Amapá, the state is becoming more valuable every day", said Magda.

During the press conference, the president displayed an oil sample extracted from the Morpho well. Asked about the quality of the find, she said it was “wonderful” and had low viscosity.

The exact API grade, which measures the lightness and density of the oil, and other technical details are under regulatory secrecy. In the refining market, the greater the lightness and the lower the density, the greater the commercial value of the oil.

Next steps

Petrobras obtained authorization to drill areas in Foz do Amazonas in October 2025. The license was granted by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), linked to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

Completion of tests and maneuvers at the Morpho well should continue until the end of October. The rig will then be demobilized and sent to Rio Grande do Norte, to drill the Mãe de Ouro prospect, in the Potiguar Basin, in November.

In Foz do Amazonas, in Block FZA-M-59, planning includes a new mobilization of rigs in the first quarter of 2027 to drill three delimitation wells, with the aim of evaluating the volume of the deposits and defining commerciality.

Environmental impacts

On Monday (28), the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) once again asked the Court to suspend the environmental license granted to Petrobras to explore oil in the Foz do Amazonas basin.

The action, filed with the Federal Regional Court of the 1st Region (TRF1), requests the immediate halt of any drilling or testing activity in the FZA-M-59 maritime block.

The MPF argues that recent facts prove the insecurity of the activity in the region, such as the leak of more than 18 thousand liters of chemical fluid into the sea during the operation of a probe in January this year.

For prosecutors, another central point is the lack of prior, free and informed consultation with indigenous peoples and quilombola and artisanal fishermen communities in Amapá and Pará, a right guaranteed by Convention No. 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO).