The Morpho well is once again drawing attention to offshore exploration in Brazil after Petrobras identified a new oil bearing interval in block FZA-M-59, off the state of Amapá. The discovery was made after drilling was deepened to investigate geological targets located below the discovery announced in August 2026, providing new evidence of the potential of the Foz do Amazonas Basin.
Located approximately 175 kilometers off the coast of Amapá, well 1-BRSA-1405-APS operates in a water depth of 2,886 meters, placing it in ultra deepwater conditions. The interpretation of electrical logs, together with evidence obtained from rock samples and fluids recovered during drilling, confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons in the new interval.
Morpho well confirms oil in a deeper formation
The discovery expands the vertical information obtained at Morpho. Petrobras continued drilling after the August result and reached a new hydrocarbon bearing zone within the same well, providing data on deeper exploration targets. This distinction is important because it provides additional information for interpreting the vertical distribution of hydrocarbons and better understanding the petroleum system in the area.
The campaign follows the first discovery made by Petrobras at the Morpho prospect, announced in August while exploration assessment of the block continued. Petrobras confirmed that studies conducted on the oil recovered from the first interval indicate good quality, while samples from the new discovery remain under analysis. The company has not yet published estimates of recoverable resources or established the commerciality of the accumulations.
What does finding two oil bearing intervals mean?
From an exploration perspective, identifying hydrocarbons at different depths provides information for building the geological model of the prospect. The results can help determine continuity, petrophysical properties and reservoir characteristics before moving toward a resource estimate.
Exploration of this frontier is also generating new campaigns to improve knowledge of the subsurface. Off Amapá, Shearwater and SLB launched a 3D seismic survey to expand the information available on the area.
The Morpho well is still at a stage where each new dataset reduces uncertainties. For this reason, the presence of oil does not automatically constitute a commercial discovery: dimensions, continuity, reservoir quality and potentially recoverable volumes still need to be evaluated.
Three wells will expand the evaluation in 2027
Petrobras plans to return to block FZA-M-59 during the first quarter of 2027 to drill three wells aimed at expanding the evaluation of the area. The campaign will provide additional information to estimate volumes and determine whether the accumulations can progress toward future commerciality.
The new work is part of a strategy that already included three additional wells to evaluate the Morpho prospect.
S&P Global identifies these targets as Morpho extension, Crotalus and Manga. The first would be located northeast of the initial discovery, while Crotalus would explore the northwestern sector of the block and Manga an area located to the southwest.
Morpho provides new signals about Foz do Amazonas
The importance of the Morpho well must also be analyzed on a regional scale. Foz do Amazonas is part of the Brazilian Equatorial Margin, one of the areas where Petrobras is seeking to add resources that could contribute to progressively renewing its oil and gas portfolio.
A study by Empresa de Pesquisa Energética estimates that the total recoverable potential of the Foz do Amazonas Basin could reach 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent. This figure corresponds to an assessment of the potential of the basin and does not represent Morpho resources or reserves, whose volume has not yet been disclosed.
For now, the second interval strengthens the available geological information, but the decisive test will come with the next drilling operations. If the new wells confirm reservoir extent, continuity and favorable characteristics, Petrobras will have a broader technical basis for determining the commercial potential of Morpho.
The Morpho well is therefore moving from an initial discovery into a more complex exploration phase: two oil bearing intervals and a new drilling campaign planned for 2027. The next step will be to transform this geological evidence into a quantitative assessment capable of determining whether this area could become a new offshore producing area in Brazil.
Sources: World Oil | Agência Brasil
