Petrobras has confirmed the presence of gas in a reservoir off the coast of Colombia. The discovery was announced by the state-owned company on Monday (5). The well is located 31 kilometers off the coast, in the Caribbean Sea, at a depth of 804 meters.
The discovery at the Uchuva-2 well is an extension of the presence of natural gas at Uchuva-1, in a water depth of approximately 830 meters, known since 2022.
According to the company, the location of the well “adds relevant information for the development of a new exploration and production frontier in Colombia, reinforcing the volumetric potential for gas in the region”.
Operations at Uchuva-2, located in the Guajira Basin, began on June 19. The reservoir is located 76 kilometers from the city of Santa Marta.
Petrobras explained that the well “is being executed in five phases, and the gas-bearing interval was detected in phase 4 of drilling, through electrical profiles, which will later be characterized through laboratory analyses.”
Fuel exploration in the region is carried out by a consortium formed by Petrobras as operator (44.44% stake), in partnership with Empresa Colombiana de Petróleos (Ecopetrol), which holds a 55.56% stake.
The consortium will continue operations to complete the well drilling project to the expected depth and characterize the conditions of the reservoirs found, with a formation test expected to be carried out by the end of the year.
The state-owned company stated in the discovery announcement that the operation in the Tayrona Block “is aligned with the company’s long-term strategy, aiming to replenish oil and gas reserves through exploration of new frontiers and acting in partnership, ensuring that global energy demand is met during the energy transition”.
Petrobras in the world
Colombia is one of five countries – in addition to Brazil – where Petrobras develops exploration and production of oil or natural gas. The other operations are in South America, North America and Africa.
In Argentina, through its subsidiary Petrobras Operaciones SA, the company holds a 33.6% stake in the Rio Neuquén production asset.
In Bolivia, it produces gas mainly in the San Alberto and San Antonio fields, with a 35% share in each of these service operation contracts, which are operated mainly to supply gas to Brazil and Bolivia.
In the United States, operations are taking place in deepwater fields in the Gulf of Mexico, with a 20% stake held by Petrobras America Inc., forming the joint venture MPGoM with Murphy Exploration & Production Company.
On February 8, 2024, Petrobras completed the acquisition of stakes in three exploratory blocks in São Tomé and Príncipe, a country on the west coast of Africa. The transaction marked the resumption of exploratory operations on the African continent, with the aim of diversifying the portfolio, and is in line with the state-owned company’s long-term strategy.
