By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com – Brazil’s massive offshore oil boom, notably in the deepwater offshore pre-salt oilfields, is continuing to grow despite weaker oil prices and the sharp impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong demand from Asian refiners, especially those in China, for lighter sweeter crude oils saw demand for Brazilian crude oil soar since the end of 2019.
Over the past few years, Brazil has held several very successful oil auctions under production-sharing contracts in its pre-salt layer, attracting major oil companies to its prized offshore oil area.
By Mathew Smith<br />
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After being caught up in major corruption scandals and suffering from what some have claimed was its worst economic downturn in 100-years, Brazil has pulled itself back from the brink. The economy commenced growing again in 2017 with gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 1 percent and 2018 GDP growth forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to be 2.3%.
OPEC said on Tuesday its rivals will produce more oil than expected this year, as it continued backpedaling from its previous skepticism over the significance of a US shale boom. The views of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries show it is narrowing its differences with oil consumers on the impact of resurgent North American output.