The ANP extended the exploration phase of 12 exploratory blocks – six operated by ExxonMobil, three by Murphy Brasil, two by Ubuntu Engenharia and one by Petrobras – through ANP Resolutions No. 815/2020 and No. 878/2022, according to an update made on Friday (21). The resolutions grant an additional period of nine months and 18 months, respectively.

Starting with the ExxonMobil blocks, the SEAL-M-503, CM-37 and CM-67 areas, acquired in the 14th ANP Bidding Round and located in the Sergipe-Alagoas and Campos Basins, in that order, had their exploratory phase postponed to October 29, 2025. Blocks SEAL-M-505, SEAL-M-575 and SEAL-M-637, acquired in the 1st Cycle of the Permanent Offer, had the single period postponed to November 14, 2027.

The Sergipe-Alagoas blocks are operated by the consortium formed by ExxonMobil (50%),  Enauta  (30%) and Murphy (20%), while the Campos blocks are operated by  Exxon with 100% participation.

In turn, Murphy obtained approval to postpone the exploratory phase of blocks POT-M-857, POT-M-863 and POT-M-865, located in the Potiguar Basin and acquired by the company with 100% participation in the 15th Round of ANP Tenders. The single period has been extended until February 7, 2028.

Still in the Potiguar Basin, Petrobras managed to postpone the exploration phase of the POT-M-952 block, until December 11, 2027. The block was also acquired in the 15th ANP Bidding Round and is operated by the state-owned company (60%) in partnership with Shell (40%).

Finally, Ubuntu obtained an extension of the 1st and 2nd exploration periods of blocks PAR-T-198 and PAR-T-218, located in the Paraná Basin and acquired with 100% participation in the 12th ANP Bidding Round. The deadlines have been postponed to February 3, 2026 and February 3, 2028, respectively.

There are no exploratory wells drilled in the 12 blocks mentioned, according to ANP data.

Portfolio

ExxonMobil has interests in 26 blocks in Brazil, in the Campos Basins (13, eight non-operated and five operated), Sergipe (eight, all operated), Santos (four, three operated and one non-operated) and Alagoas ( one, operated), and the non-operated stake of 50% in the Bacalhau and Bacalhau Norte fields, under development in the Santos Basin.

Murphy has a stake in 12 blocks in Brazil, eight in Sergipe (not operated), the three mentioned in the Potiguar Basin (operated) and one not operated in Alagoas.

Ubuntu's portfolio is made up of the two blocks in Paraná and the Dó-Ré-Mi field under development, in the Sergipe Basin (operated with a 50% stake, in partnership with Centro Oeste O&G).