Through the drilling of an exploration well in 2008, it was possible to confirm the existence of hydrocarbons in the Iara area. Since then, the exploration and appraisal activities carried out by the consortium have confirmed the reservoir’s excellent potential.
The EWT carried out in the Berbigão area in 2014, from June to December, allowed Galp to deepen its knowledge about the field and revealed wells productivity levels similar, and in some cases even higher, to those obtained in the Tupi/Iracema project.
The development plan for the three distinct accumulations in the Iara area, within the BM-S-11A block and which extend to the Iara surroundings area, was submitted to ANP in 2015. In August 2019, ANP approved the Unitisation Agreement for the Atapu accumulation which became effective as from 1 September 2019. The agreement establishes that the BM-S-11A licence represents 17.03% of the unitised area (BM-S-11A, together with Transfer of Rights and open area), with Galp now holding a 1.70% interest. The two additional accumulations in the BM-S-11A license, Berbigão and Sururu, will also be subject to a unitisation process, and the agreements have already been submitted to ANP and are pending approval.
Regarding the declaration of commerciality of the project,it has been granted in 2016.
The production in the Berbigão and western flank of Sururu started in November 2019 through FPSO P-68, while the Atapu production started in June 2020 through FPSO P-70, the fourth and fifth replicant units deployed in the pre-salt basin.