Petrobras Finds Hydrocarbons at Morpho Wildcat, Holds 100% of Amapa Deepwater Block

Petrobras identified hydrocarbons in an exploration well still drilling on block FZA-M-59, in deepwater off Amapa, and it owns the entire block. The Morpho well (1-BRSA-1405-APS) sits about 175 km from the Amapa coast in 2,886 metres of water.

Sole ownership is the structural detail that matters to anyone tracking frontier exploration. Petrobras is the operator of FZA-M-59 and holds 100% of the area, meaning no partner carries part of the cost and no partner takes part of the barrels.

The well is in the Foz do Amazonas sedimentary basin, on the Brazilian equatorial margin, according to the Petrobras statement. The company acquired the block in the 11th ANP licensing round, in 2013, under the concession regime.

The hydrocarbon-bearing interval was established through electric logs and rock indications, Petrobras said. Drilling operations continue for the exploratory evaluation, the state-controlled company said, describing the work as safe and respectful of the environment and of people.

Magda Chambriard, president of Petrobras, said the company's optimism about the Brazilian equatorial margin was confirmed and that this is the first discovery off the coast of Amapa. She attributed the result to the dedication and competence of Petrobras.

Petrobras frames its activity on FZA-M-59 as part of a strategy to rebuild oil and gas reserves through exploration in frontier areas. That is the read most relevant to international operators weighing where reserve replacement can still come from at ultra-deepwater depths.

The company says it applies preventive measures on the equatorial margin, including biodegradable fluids, an oiled-wildlife protection plan, pre-operational assessment and satellite monitoring.

Amapa retains more than 90% of its vegetation, and 72% of the territory was protected as conservation units and indigenous lands, according to data released by the Environment Ministry. That environmental profile sits directly alongside the acreage now under evaluation.

Mines and Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira credited President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's leadership for the advance that led to the announcement of the oil discovery on the Equatorial Margin, in Amapa. In a social media post, Silveira referred to more than three intense years defending Brazil's economy and energy sovereignty. Lula visited a Petrobras drillship on block FZA-M-59, in the Foz do Amazonas basin, according to photo captions credited to Ricardo Stuckert.

Petrobras announced the find on Friday the 14th. Misto Brasil published the report on August 15, 2026, in an article by Douglas Correa. Revista O Empreiteiro carried the announcement dated August 18, 2026, and Revista Nordeste published its account on August 27, 2026, in edition 235.