BP has announced a major oil and gas discovery at the Bumerangue block in Brazil’s Santos Basin, marking the company’s most significant find in a quarter-century. The 1-BP-13-SPS exploration well was drilled in water depths of 2,372 metres, approximately 404 kilometres offshore from Rio de Janeiro, reaching a total depth of 5,855 metres.
The well encountered a high-quality pre-salt carbonate reservoir with a gross hydrocarbon column of approximately 500 metres. Located around 500 metres below the crest of the structure, the reservoir spans more than 300 square kilometres. Initial rig-site analysis revealed elevated levels of carbon dioxide. BP will now conduct detailed laboratory testing to better assess the reservoir and fluid characteristics. Additional appraisal work is planned, pending regulatory approval.
“This is another success in what has been an exceptional year so far for our exploration team,” said Gordon Birrell, Executive Vice President for Production & Operations at BP. “It’s a significant discovery and highlights our commitment to growing our upstream portfolio. Brazil is a key region for us, and we aim to explore the potential for a material production hub here.”
BP holds 100% interest in the Bumerangue block, secured in December 2022 under favorable commercial terms during Brazil’s 1st Cycle of the Open Acreage Production Sharing auction, with Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. managing the contract.
Bumerangue is BP’s tenth discovery in 2025, adding to successful finds in Trinidad, Egypt, the Gulf of Mexico, Libya, Namibia, Angola, and elsewhere in Brazil. The company plans to grow its upstream production to between 2.3 and 2.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2030, with potential for further growth to 2035.
