MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Spanish-Chinese group discover oil in Brazil’s pre-salt cluster, 6.851 metres deep

The Stena Drillmax I drill in the high seas

Spanish oil and gas group Repsol YPF announced last week that its joint venture with China's Sinopec Group had made a new discovery of good quality oil in Brazilian ultra-deep water.

The find in the Gavea exploration well is the most significant made in the pre-salt cluster of the Campos Basin, Repsol said in a statement.

Repsol Sinopec is the operator of the exploration consortium with a 35% stake, while Norway's state-owned Statoil has 35% and Brazil's Petrobras 30%.

The consortium is analysing the results of the well before continuing with exploration and evaluation work in the area, Repsol said

The 1-REPF-11A-RJS well is located some 190 km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state and oil was discovered in two different levels of the drilling.

The drill Stena Drillmax I reached a final depth of 6,851 meters, while the water depth in the area is 2,708 meters, the company said.

Repsol Sinopec is a leading private company in terms of exploration rights in the Santos, Campos and Espirito Santo basins, off Brazil's south eastern and southern coasts, where the country's pre-salt reserves are located. The company participates in 16 blocks within the area, and is the operator of six.