Brazil’s big spenders
Upstream firms are opening their wallets again as offshore prospects look more lucrative
Oil and gas operators globally may have hacked back capex over the past year, offsetting the heavy financial toll brought about by the pandemic. But in Brazil, rising oil prices and competitive pre-salt reserves are tempting companies to stump up extra cash and invest in new offshore projects. In the Santos basin, Norwegian producer Equinor confirmed an $8bn development plan at the Bacalhau field—the discovery made by Brazilian NOC Petrobras in 2012—with estimated recoverable reserves at more than 1bn bl and a breakeven below $35/bl. The project is expected to come online in 2024 and will include one of Brazil’s largest ever floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) units, with 220,
Also in this section
28 January 2026
The alliance looks to bolster market management credibility by bringing greater clarity and unity to output cuts and producer capacity later in 2026
23 January 2026
A strategic pivot away from Russian crude in recent weeks tees up the possibility of improved US-India trade relations
23 January 2026
The signing of a deal with a TotalEnergies-led consortium to explore for gas in a block adjoining Israel’s maritime area may breathe new life into the country’s gas ambitions
22 January 2026
As Saudi Arabia pushes mining as a new pillar of its economy, Saudi Aramco is positioning itself at the intersection of hydrocarbons, minerals and industrial policy






