Brazil has sealed its destiny as an important oil reserve holder and producer with the discovery of pre-salt carbonate reservoirs in the Campos and Santos basins.

In the Santos Basin, the pre-salt reservoirs have signaled an improved development and consequent greater productivity. This sedimentary basin covers about 350,000 square kilometers and goes from Cabo Frio, in the state of Rio de Janeiro (RJ), to Florianópolis, in the state of Santa Catarina (SC).

The first exploration investments in the Santos Basin date back to the 1970s. In the 1990s and 2000s, several discoveries were made in post-salt reservoirs, however, with modest reserves and often with heavy oil, although there is good quality oil, mainly in the southern portion of the basin.

Geoscientists’ increasing expertise naturally required testings for the occurrence of potential deeper reservoirs of the sedimentary stratum. Perforations detected reservoirs below the salt layer, which, however, had to be analyzed.

In May 2009, a Long-Term Test (TLD) in the area then called Tupi, now known as Lula Field, was carried out and pointed out the first evidence of the value of the pre-salt reservoirs. This date, according to information on the Petrobras website, is a milestone for oil production in the country. Subsequently, in 2010, the first Definitive Production System in the Lula Field (Lula Pilot) was started.

The discovery of pre-salt brought opportunities and challenges. Opportunities for the establishment of partnerships between operators, suppliers of goods and services, universities and research centers. Opportunities for local contracting. The challenges that have been overcome are many-sided: logistical (distance from the coast), technological (high water depth, thick layer of salt to be drilled, presence of contaminants in the oil) and, consequently, cost challenges (high initial drilling costs, well completion costs) – challenges that impact on project economics, especially in a scenario where Brent’s price is below USD 60/barrel.