PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo) announced, this Thursday (27), the reopening of the registration period for its 1st Public Competition. The company published a correction to the notice in the Official Gazette of the Federal Government, changing the education requirements for 17 of the 30 positions of Corporate Management Analyst and Oil and Gas Specialist, as well as reformulating the competition schedule. The changes aim to expand access to public competition for candidates with different higher education qualifications. To this end, new academic qualifications were added to be accepted for 12 positions and the postgraduate requirement was removed from seven positions (there are positions with double modification). As a result, the competition calendar has been updated and registration will reopen on April 4th. 

According to the Director of Administration, Finance and Sales, Samir Awad, the company received several requests to expand training and after analysis, understood that some of the educational requirements in the notice did not in fact take into account certain specific realities of each position, which is why the position was reviewed. “We study all requests carefully and evaluate which positions we could make changes to. The rectification notice is a reflection of this work, which aims to strengthen broad access to public positions and prioritize the transparency of the competition,” said Awad. 

PPSA also received requests to reduce the 5 and 10 years of experience required in the competition, but there is no change in relation to this requirement in the rectification notice.  “Our activities are highly complex and require in-depth knowledge of the sector in which we operate, particularly in technical activities. In addition to the fact that we are in a broad growth process and have countless challenges ahead. We believe that experience will be essential for future PPSA professionals to develop their activities. And precisely because we require experience, we had greater availability to expand training and remove the requirement for postgraduate studies in some positions,” added Awad. 

The competition offers 100 vacancies for higher education professionals, in addition to the formation of a reserve list. There are 52 vacancies for Oil and Gas Specialists, 36 for Corporate Management Analyst, eight for Information Technology Analyst and four vacancies for the position of Lawyer. Of the vacancies offered, 5% will be offered to people with disabilities (PCDs) and 20% to black and brown candidates. All vacancies are to work at the PPSA Central Office, located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. 

The positions that had their training expanded were the following: Corporate management analyst — HR, General administration, Oil and gas commercialization, Corporate planning, Integrity and Production monitoring and control; and Oil and gas specialist – Oil and gas commercialization, Petrophysics, Reservoir geophysics, Reservoir geology, Reservoir engineering, Marine facilities engineering, Well engineering, Subsea engineering, Exploration geophysics, Production operations engineering and Production control analysis.    The last seven also had the postgraduate requirement removed. 

The table with the new descriptions of the modified positions can be accessed on the PPSA website and in the notice, also available on the IDCAP website. 

Registrations 

With the changes, the new registration period will be from April 4 to May 14, 2025, and the tests (objective and discursive) will take place on June 29, 2025, in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and São Paulo. All those who have already registered and paid the registration fee are confirmed in the competition. However, if any candidate wishes to cancel their participation due to a change in the schedule, or change the position for which they applied, they may request a refund of the fee from the Development and Training Institute (IDCAP), responsible for organizing the competition. With the inclusion of new training courses, candidates who have applied for analyst positions may now want to compete for specialist positions. In this case, they must also request a refund and register again within the new deadline. Candidates who have registered but have not paid the registration fee may do so during the new registration period. 

Candidates must apply exclusively through the website of the Institute for Development and Training (IDCAP) (https://www.idcap.org.br). The registration fee is BRL 100 for analyst positions and BRL 150 for lawyers and specialists. Payment will be made via bank slip issued at the time of registration. 

About PPSA 

PPSA, a government company under Brazil’s Mines and Energy Ministry, works in three main areas: managing production-sharing agreements, handling unitization deals for the government, and coordinating federal oil and gas sales. The company’s mission is to maximize the Federal Government’s economic results in all its activities. All funds collected by the company go to the National Treasury. 

Visit the website to learn more about the company. 

Service: 

Registration period:  From April 4th to May 14th, 2025 

Notice: Available on the IDCAP websites (www.idcap.org.br) and PPSA (PPSA Public Tender). 

Enrollment: Exclusively on the IDCAP website:   www.idcap.org.br/informacoes/175 

Location of the tests: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Salvador 

Test dates:  6/29/2025 

If you have any questions about the competition, please contact us by email atendimento@idcap.org.br or by phone 27-3111-2211. 

The Board of Directors of PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo) elected this Monday, the 24th, Luis Fernando Paroli as the company’s new CEO. The executive will take office on April 1st. Paroli also joins the company’s Board of Directors, which is made up of six more members. 

The Executive Board also includes Samir Awad, as Director of Administration, Finance and Commercialization, Evamar José dos Santos, as Director of Contract Management, and Tabita Loureiro, as Technical Director. 

Paroli has almost 20 years of experience managing large national companies in the electricity generation, transmission, distribution, and marketing segment. Until last year, he served as CEO of ENBpar – Empresa Brasileira de Participações em Energia Nuclear e Binacional. He was also CEO of Grupo Light, Director of Cemig and Eletrobras/Furnas Centrais Elétricas and member of several Boards of Directors in the electricity sector. The executive holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Computer Systems Analysis from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais. 

PPSA is a company linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, which operates on three fronts: management of production sharing contracts, representation of the Federal Government in production individualization agreements involving non-contracted areas and marketing of the Federal Government’s shares of oil and natural gas in these contracts. 

Shell Brasil Petróleo Ltda. (Shell Brasil), a subsidiary of Shell plc, has made the Final Investment Decision (FID) for Gato do Mato, a deepwater project in the pre-salt area of the Santos Basin. The Gato do Mato Consortium includes Shell (operator with 50% stake), Ecopetrol (30%), TotalEnergies (20%) and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A. (PPSA), which acts as the manager of the production sharing contract (PSC). 

The development plan envisages the installation of a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) unit, designed to produce up to 120,000 barrels of oil per day. The estimated volume of recoverable resources from the Gato do Mato project is approximately 370 million barrels. 

The consortium expects the Gato do Mato field to come into operation in 2029. 

Petrobras was the winner of the spot sales process promoted by PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A.) this Wednesday, 19, to commercialize two loads of Federal Government’s oil from the Itapu field, with an estimated volume of 500 thousand barrels each. The auctioned cargo is expected to be loaded by July 2025. 

Price offers were opened in real time at a meeting held with the participation of representatives from five companies who submitted written proposals. After the opening, there was a dispute, in a loud voice, between Petrobras and Petrochina. 

This was the first spot sale made in 2025 by PPSA. In parallel, the company continues to prepare for the 5th Federal Government Oil Auction, scheduled for June, at B3, in São Paulo. The event foresees the sale of approximately 70 million barrels of oil from the Federal Government, originating from the Mero, Búzios, Sépia, Itapu, and Norte de Carcará fields, referring to production in 2025 and 2026. 

Registrations for the first public competitive examination of PPSA (Pré-sal Petróleo/SA) begin on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, and will continue until March 17, 2025. There are 100 positions available for professionals with higher education, in addition to the creation of a reserve list.

Candidates must register exclusively through the website of the Institute of Development and Training (IDCAP) (https://www.idcap.org.br). The registration fee is BRL 100 for analyst positions and BRL 150 for lawyers and specialists. The payment will be made via a bank slip issued at the time of registration.

The competition offers 52 positions for Oil and Gas Specialists, 36 for Corporate Management Analysts, eight for Information Technology Analysts, and four positions for Lawyers. Of the available positions, 5% will be offered to individuals with disabilities (PCDs), and 20% to black and brown candidates. All positions are for work at PPSA's Central Office, located in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Exams and compensation

The exams will be held on April 27, 2025, in the cities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Salvador. There will be a multiple-choice exam for all positions. Candidates for the positions of lawyer and oil and gas specialist will also take written exams in Portuguese and English.

Admitted candidates will be entitled to the salary, benefits, and advantages in effect at the time of their admission. The starting salaries are BRL 8,240.00 for a Corporate Management Analyst, BRL 9,350.00 for an Information Technology Analyst, BRL 15,942.00 for a Lawyer, and BRL 19,610.00 for an Oil and Gas Specialist.

About PPSA

PPSA is a public company linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and has been operating for 11 years in three areas: managing production-sharing agreements, representing the Government in production unitization agreements, and managing the commercialization of the Government's oil and natural gas. The company’s mission is to maximize the economic results of the Government in all its activities. All funds raised by the company are directed to the National Treasury.

Visit the website to learn more about the company: www.ppsa.gov.br

Service

Registration period: From February 5 to March 17, 2025.
Public Notice: Available on the PPSA website and the IDCAP
website. Registration: Exclusively on the IDCAP website: www.idcap.org.br/informacoes/175
For more information about positions, schedule, and FAQs: https://www.presalpetroleo.gov.br/concurso-publico-ppsa/ or by email at atendimento@idcap.org.br.
Exam locations: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Salvador
Exam date: 4/27/2025

Cumulative production under the sharing regime since 2017, the beginning of the historical series, surpassed the mark of 1 billion barrels of oil in November. The Búzios field is responsible for more than half of production in the period, accumulating 529 million barrels. The Mero and Sepia fields are in second and third place. Since 2017, the Government has been entitled to an accumulated 59.8 million barrels. The data is part of the Monthly Production Bulletin released by PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo) on Thursday (16).

Daily production in November

In November, total production under the sharing agreements reached 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd), 6% more than in the previous period, due to improved operational efficiency at Libra.
The Búzios, Mero, and Sépia fields remained the largest producers under the sharing regime, accounting for 86% of the total.

The Government's share of oil in the sharing agreements alone was 96.41 thousand bpd. The result for the month was 4% lower than in the previous period, due to costs recovered from the construction of P-85, the Sépia 2 Project, and the stoppage of FPSO Ilhabela, in Sapinhoá.The largest share of the Government came from Mero, which accounted for more than 87% of production, with 84.23 thousand bpd.

Total natural gas exports under the sharing regime in November amounted to 3.77 million m³/day. The result comes from five fields and was 6% lower compared to the previous month due to the shutdown of the FPSO Ilhabela in Sapinhoá and the reduction in exports from the FPSO Almirante Barroso in Búzios. The share of natural gas available for export by the Government was 90 thousand m³/day under the sharing regime.

Total Government production

When adding the daily oil production of the Government under the sharing regime and the Production Unitization Agreements (AIPs) of the uncontracted areas of Tupi and Atapu, the daily oil production was 100.53 thousand barrels per day in November, a result practically stable compared to October (minus 3%). Regarding gas volumes and considering all participations, the Government was also entitled to a total production of 158,000 m³ per day for the month. The volume is 38% below that of October, due to the reduction in exports from the FPSO Almirante Barroso and the cost recovery of the FPSO P-85 in Sépia.

PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo), a company linked to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, raised BRL 10.32 billion in 2024 with the sale of the Government's oil and natural gas shares in five production-sharing agreements and the production unitization agreement for Tupi. The amount is approximately 71% higher than the revenue collected in 2023 (BRL 6.02 billion) and reflects the increase in production under the agreements, as well as the success achieved in the competitive bidding processes for the commercialization of the Government's oil and gas shares conducted by PPSA since 2021. All funds raised are directed to the National Treasury.

In 2024, 56 shipments of the Government's oil were made, totaling 27.39 million barrels, including 43 shipments from the Mero field, six from Búzios, three from Sépia, two from the Sapinhoá Surrounding area, one from Tupi, and one from Atapu. Except for the shipments from Sépia and Atapu, which were sold through direct sale processes, the others are related to long-term agreements resulting from an auction held by PPSA on B3 in 2021, with Petrobras being the winning bidder. In 2024, a total volume of 53.8 million cubic meters of natural gas was also sold to Petrobras.

In December 2024, the company also set a new record, raising BRL 2 billion for the Government through commercialization. Until then, the record was the result achieved in August 2024, with BRL 1.4 billion.

According to PPSA's Director of Administration, Finance, and Commercialization, Samir Awad, this result represents the beginning of a new performance curve for the company, which will see increasing revenues in the coming years. “In 2030, when the nine commercial production sharing agreements we have today reach their peak production, the Government's share will be 543 thousand barrels per day, with an estimated revenue of BRL 69 billion. “By 2034, projections indicate a cumulative revenue of BRL 506 billion for the Government,” he said.

PPSA (Pré-sal Petróleo S/A) will hold, in the coming months, its first public competition with the aim of hiring 100 employees with higher education starting in 2025, in addition to creating a reserve list. The Institute of Development and Training (IDCAP) will plan, organize, and conduct the competition.

The vacancies are distributed among the positions of lawyer, corporate management analyst, information technology analyst, and oil and gas specialist, with duties in different areas of the company. The vacancies are for positions in Rio de Janeiro. The exams will take place on April 27, 2025, and will be held in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, or Salvador. There will be a multiple-choice exam for all positions. Candidates for the positions of lawyer and oil specialist will also take an essay exam.

Of the available positions, 5% will be offered to individuals with disabilities (PCDs), and 20% for self-declared black candidates.

The National Energy Policy Council (CNPE) approved, on Tuesday (12/10), the inclusion of the Cerussita, Aragonita, Rhodochrosite, Malachite, Opal, Quartz, and Chalcedony blocks for bidding under the production sharing regime in the Permanent Offer system of the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels (ANP). For these blocks, government revenue is expected to exceed BRL 220 billion over the projects’ lifespan, with an estimated BRL 214 billion in investments during the period.

The minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, highlighted the impact of the decision on ensuring the country's energy self-sufficiency. “This measure is fundamentally important for the economy, attracting significant investments to the country and generating jobs and income for the population. For these specific blocks, signature bonus revenues alone will generate BRL 874 million for the Government, reaffirming the importance of this decision for Brazil’s economic development,” he emphasized.

The seven blocks are located within the pre-salt polygon, specifically in the Santos Basin, situated in the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. They join the other seventeen blocks previously authorized by CNPE. As a result, the next auction, scheduled for June, is expected to be the largest production-sharing auction in terms of the number of blocks. This is another achievement of the Potencializa E&P program, an initiative of the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) aimed at promoting the sustainable development of oil and natural gas exploration and production in Brazil.

The Technical Forum promoted by PPSA (Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A) brought together authorities, executives from leading oil companies, and industry experts to discuss the future of the pre-salt, the technological innovations needed to reduce emissions, and the legal and operational challenges impacting the sector. The event, held in Rio de Janeiro, covered topics such as the next steps for the pre-salt, the challenges in ramping up the platforms, and the investments required to ensure the continuity of production. The opening of the Forum was conducted by Pietro Mendes, Secretary of Oil and Natural Gas at the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), who emphasized the importance of the oil sector for the national economy and the changes being studied by the government to improve the production sharing regime. Mendes also discussed other actions by the MME to ensure the competitiveness and sustainability of the industry.

Mendes reminded us that the government is analyzing changes to the production-sharing agreements in order to adapt the business model to the economic and operational needs of the sector.

“One of the changes we are studying is allowing the extension of production-sharing agreements in cases where economic advantage for the Government can be demonstrated. Therefore, we will need to analyze whether this agreement extension is advantageous for the Government, but the goal is to create this possibility, obviously, after consulting with PPSA and ANP, which could implement the extension,” said Mendes.

Currently, production-sharing agreements do not foresee the possibility of renewal, and any change in this regard will require legislative amendments. The current model establishes that, after the agreement ends, the fields must be returned to the Government, which, in some cases, may not be advantageous for the country. The

extension proposal aims to ensure the continuity of production and investments in fields that still have significant potential.

Tabita Loureiro, Acting President of PPSA, presented the “Estimates of Results in Production Sharing Agreements,” with a focus on the coming years. The company’s assessment indicates that production-sharing agreements will require investments of BRL 53 billion in the next five years. In addition, she emphasized that all these commercial projects will require the drilling of 145 wells between exploration and production during this same period. The forecast is for the installation of 11 new FPSOs (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading unit) by the end of the decade.

“And by delivering increasingly decarbonized oil, in the range of 10 to 11 kilograms of CO2 per barrel of oil equivalent, we are competitive in the energy transition scenario,” said Tabita Loureiro.

The Future of Pre-Salt: Challenges and Opportunities

In the panel “The Future of the Pre-Salt: Adapting to a New Scenario, moderated by Tabita Loureiro, the participants discussed the challenges and opportunities of the pre-salt in the coming years. The conversation involved major industry figures, such as Paula Pereira da Silva, Country Manager of Galp Brasil; Huang Yehua, President of CNOOC Brasil; Alberto Ferrin, President of ExxonMobil Brasil; Heloísa Borges, Director of Oil, Gas, and Biofuels Studies at EPE; and Pietro Mendes.

Industry executives highlighted that, despite the challenges of the regulatory environment and rising costs, Brazil remains an attractive region for investments in the oil and gas sector. The need for public policies to ensure the continuity of these investments was a central point of the discussion.

Challenges in Platform Ramp-up

The afternoon panel addressed the challenges, lessons learned, and success stories in the process of installing FPSOs in the pre-salt. Moderated by Samir Awad, Commercialization Director at PPSA, the debate brought together experts such as Vinícius Carvalho, Operations Manager at Equinor; João Carlos de Araujo, General Manager of Project Implementation at Petrobras; Alan Buchi, Commercial Director at FMC Technip; Pedro Rabello, Operations Manager at Subsea 7; and Luiz Bispo, Operational Safety Superintendent at ANP.

Among the key points discussed were the logistical and operational challenges faced by companies during the first oil and ramp-up, such as coordination between suppliers, the orchestrated installation of infrastructure, commissioning, and issues related to environmental licensing and compliance with ANP’s operational safety requirements.

New Auctions and Market Outlook

Finally, Guilherme França, Commercialization Superintendent at PPSA, presented the “Volume Estimates for the 5th Oil Auction of the Government” and the next steps for the Natural Gas Auction.

PPSA estimates the sale of 78 million barrels of oil from the Government on June 25 of next year at B3 in São Paulo. The 5th Oil Auction of the Government will sell the production of the Government from the Mero, Búzios, Sépia, Itapu, and Norte de Carcará fields.

França also announced that the 1st Natural Gas Auction of the Government is scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of 2025. “We are currently analyzing the hiring of the Integrated Offloading System (SIE) and the Integrated Processing System (SIP), which are necessary for the execution of the bidding process.”, he explained.

The final panel, titled “Remaining Potential of the Pre-Salt Polygon,” was moderated by Rudy Ferreira, Exploration Superintendent at PPSA, and featured contributions from Jair Rodrigues Soares, Exploration Geosciences Coordinator at PPSA; Bruna Lyra and Eduardo Leaubon, from Viridien; Juliana Santos, from TGS; and Ildeson Prates Bastos, Superintendent of Geological and Economic Evaluation at ANP.

The experts detailed the remaining exploration opportunities in the pre-salt polygon and presented seismic data and analyses on prospects identified in the polygon, which, according to studies, continue to demonstrate a geological potential for oil and gas. Check the detailed schedule: https://www.presalpetroleo.gov.br/forum-tecnico/