UK-headquartered energy giant BP is moving forward with the evaluation of its hydrocarbon discovery off the coast of Brazil, with appraisal plans anticipated to be put in motion in 2027.
While providing an update on its recent hydrocarbon discovery at the Bumerangue block in Brazil’s pre-salt Santos Basin, BP explains that the initial laboratory and pressure gradient analysis has confirmed the presence of around 1,000 meters gross hydrocarbon column, including approximately 100 meters gross oil column and about 900 meters gross liquids rich gas-condensate column.
Gordon Birrell , BP’s Executive Vice President for Production & Operations, highlighted: “2025 has seen significant strategic progress across BP’s Upstream with record plant reliability, six major project start-ups, five more sanctioned and a string of exploration discoveries including Bumerangue.
“We are still in the exploration phase for Bumerangue, however, initial results and analysis are extremely encouraging as they indicate a very large hydrocarbon column and a significant volume of liquids in the reservoir.”
The UK giant drilled exploration well 1-BP-13-SPS at the Bumerangue block, located 404 kilometers (218 nautical miles) off the coast of Brazil, in a water depth of 2,372 meters to a total depth of 5,855 meters. The well intersected the reservoir containing a high-quality pre-salt carbonate rock with an areal extent of greater than 300 square kilometers.
BP holds 100% participation in the block with Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. as the production sharing contract (PSC) manager, after securing the block in December 2022 during the 1st Cycle of the Open Acreage of Production Sharing of ANP.
This discovery is said to mark BP’s largest in 25 years, reinforcing the company’s commitment to growing its upstream portfolio and establishing a material, advantaged production hub in Brazil, where it currently holds interests in six offshore blocks, operating two of them directly.
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Given the presence of liquids across the entire hydrocarbon column, the company underlines that the high-quality rock properties observed and its extensive technology and deepwater developments experience have led it to believe that the carbon dioxide in the reservoir can be managed.
The firm is continuing laboratory testing and other analysis to determine fluid characteristics, gas-to-oil and condensate-to-gas ratios, and an estimate of in-place volumes. Currently, the planning of appraisal activities is ongoing, with well activities expected to kick off in early 2027, subject to regulatory approval.
“We are pleased about what we have seen to date and our confidence in the potential of this field has increased. We have a team in place and are accelerating work on proposed appraisal activities and potential development concepts, which will include the potential for an early production system,” emphasized Birrell.
Bumerangue is one of 12 exploration discoveries that BP has made this year across several basins, including the Gulf of America and Namibia, through Azule Energy, its 50-50 independent joint venture with Eni.
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