Statoil, together with UK major BP, also presented the winning bid for blocks C-M-755 and C-M-793. The signature bonus for both blocks totalled $26.0mn. BP will operate, with 60%. At time of press, BP had no statement on its website.

The award in Brazil’s 15th bidding round reinforces Statoil’s ambition of long-term growth in Brazil and strengthens the company’s position in the prolific Campos basin, where it operates the producing Peregrino oilfield, said Statoil. Other key projects located in Campos basin are the Petrobras operated oil and associated gas Roncador field, where Statoil has a 25% interest, and BM-C-33, operated by Statoil and now in the development phase, Statoil said.

“This award is in line with Statoil’s exploration strategy to build on core positions in prolific and proven basins. Access to new quality acreage is an essential prerequisite for further value creation through exploration activities and for increasing Statoil’s international production level from core areas such as Brazil,” it said.

In addition to the two blocks it won with Petrobras and Statoil, ExxonMobil was awarded two other Campos blocks in partnership with Petrobras and Qatar Petroleum, two blocks in the Santos region in partnership with Qatar Petroleum and two blocks in the Sergipe-Alagoas area with partners Queiroz Galvão Exploração e Produção (QGEP) and Murphy Oil. ExxonMobil will operate the six blocks in which it is not partnered with Statoil.

“These recent bid round results add highly prospective acreage to ExxonMobil’s deepwater portfolio that we will explore and develop with our partners,” said Steve Greenlee, president of ExxonMobil Exploration Company. “This acreage in Brazil’s pre-salt play will provide excellent opportunities to deploy our deepwater expertise.”

The additional blocks expand the company’s total position in the country to more than 2mn net acres, making it one of the largest acreage holders among international companies in Brazil.