Brazil expects to pocket some US$ 1.45 billion from the sixth round of oil and gas block licensing for the pre-salt zone offshore. Reuters reports, citing the special secretary to the Economy Ministry, Waldery Rodriguez, that the total minimum sum of signing bonuses for all the blocks that will be tendered on November 7th is US$ 1.9 billion.
Brazilian environmental agency Ibama this week rejected French oil company Total SA’s application for an environmental license to drill in the ecologically sensitive Foz do Amazonas basin. It is the fourth time that Ibama has rejected the application and requested additional information.