British energy giant BP has unveiled a significant deepwater oil and gas discovery in Brazil’s pre-salt region, calling it the company’s largest find in a quarter-century.
The exploration well, designated 1-BP-13-SPS, was drilled in the Bumerangue block, approximately 404 kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The well reached a total depth of 5,855 meters in water depths of 2,372 meters. BP, which acquired the block in 2022, holds a 100% operating interest. The project is managed under a production sharing contract overseen by Brazil’s Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A.
BP reported that the well intersected the reservoir about 500 meters below the structure’s crest, encountering a gross hydrocarbon column of approximately 500 meters within a high-quality pre-salt carbonate formation. The reservoir spans more than 300 square kilometers.
“This is another success in what has been an exceptional year for our exploration team, underscoring our commitment to growing our upstream. Brazil is an important country for BP, and our ambition is to explore the potential of establishing a material and advantaged production hub in the country,” said Gordon Birrell, BP’s Executive Vice President for Production & Operations.
Preliminary rig-site analyses have indicated elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the reservoir. BP plans to conduct further laboratory testing to better understand the reservoir characteristics and the composition of the hydrocarbons. Additional appraisal activities are planned, pending regulatory approval.
The Bumerangue discovery marks BP’s tenth hydrocarbon find in 2025. Other discoveries this year include Beryl and Frangipani in Trinidad and Tobago, Fayoum 5 and El King 5 in Egypt, Far South in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, Hasheem in Libya, and Alto de Cabo Frio Central, also in Brazil.
BP has also participated in discoveries in Namibia and Angola through Azule Energy, a 50-50 joint venture with Italian energy company Eni. The two companies recently signed agreements with Egypt’s state-owned petroleum entities EGPC and EGAS to launch new exploration initiatives in the Mediterranean.
The Brazilian discovery supports BP’s strategic goal to expand upstream oil and gas production to between 2.3 and 2.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day by 2030, with potential for further growth through 2035. In addition to the Bumerangue campaign, BP plans to drill an exploration well in Brazil’s Tupinambá block in 2026.
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