據石油世界期刊4月30日里約熱內盧報道，巴西國家石油局勘探主管在4月28日的網絡研討會上表示，隨著石油公司增加勘探活動，新冠疫情減弱，巴西國家石油局預計2021年在該國沿海鉆探的勘探井數量將增加近三倍，達到19口。

　　在油氣行業采取措施防止海上油氣泄漏中斷作業之后，勘探活動預計將出現上升。此外，高管們表示，冠狀病毒疫苗的推出雖然緩慢，但正在加速，并將在2021年剩余時間達到臨界規模。

　　ANP的Marina Abelha表示，我們所看到的是，公司是謹慎的，但樂觀的。該機構的快速行動幫助巴西維持了針對石油行業的投資，盡管這項工作可能因新冠疫情而略微推遲到未來進行。我們預計2021年將好于2020年。

　　據Abelha稱，ANP預計2021年將鉆探45口井，其中19口將在海上鉆探。 這將比2020年的16口井有所增加，其中只有5口海上井。2021年，鉆井和伴隨的地震調查的投資約為12億美元，其中約5.93億美元用于海上作業。

　　隨著巴西繼續與全球第二致命的新冠疫情作斗爭，活動的增加意味著復蘇。在巴西運營的石油公司加入了全球同行的行列，在2020年控制支出，保留現金，因為全球需求下降，油價不斷走低。

　　巴西還在2020年減少了勘探面積，暫停了第17輪招標、第7輪亞鹽生產共享拍賣和第二次權利轉讓銷售。第17輪招標已被重新安排在10月7日，第二次轉讓權出售定于12月17日。第七次亞鹽拍賣尚未重新安排。

　　ANP確實舉行了監管機構公開土地銷售的第二個周期，這是由各個石油公司表現出的興趣觸發的。 總共出售了17個區塊，但只有一個海上區塊，在出售過程中籌集了約1,090萬美元的簽約獎金。 ANP預計“開放面積”計劃的第三個周期也將在2021年啟動。

　　高管們指出，巴西推動2021年舉行許可證銷售是重啟活動的一個重要部分，因為勘探是石油公司的命脈。拉丁美洲最大的石油和天然氣生產商還面臨著全球石油工業投資競爭的加劇，包括圭亞那和蘇里南的鄰國競爭對手。

　　郝芬 譯自 石油世界期刊

　　原文如下:

　　Brazil's offshore wells to quadruple in 2021 -ANP

　　Brazil's National Petroleum Agency expects the number of exploration wells drilled off the country's coast to nearly quadruple in 2021 to 19 wells as oil companies ramp up activity and the coronavirus pandemic wanes, the regulator's superintendent for exploration said during a webinar April 28.

　　The expected upswing in exploration activity came after the industry implemented measures to guard against offshore outbreaks that can disrupt operations. In addition, coronavirus vaccine rollouts, while slow, are accelerating and should reach critical mass through the remainder of 2021, executives said.

　　"What we're seeing is that companies are cautious, but optimistic," the ANP's Marina Abelha, said. The agency's quick actions helped maintain oil industry investments targeted for Brazil although the work was likely pushed slightly into the future by the pandemic, she said.

　　"We expect 2021 to be better than 2020," Abelha said.

　　The ANP expects 45 wells to be drilled in 2021, with 19 offshore, according to Abelha. That would be up from a total of 16 wells in 2020, including just five offshore. The drilling and accompanying seismic surveys represent about $1.2 billion worth of investments in 2021, with about $593 million of that devoted to offshore work, Abelha said.

　　The increased activity represents a restart as Brazil continues to battle the world's second-deadliest coronavirus outbreak. Oil companies operating in Brazil joined industry colleagues around the world to rein in spending and preserve cash in 2020 as global demand cratered and dragged prices ever lower.

　　Brazil also reduced access to exploration acreage in 2020, suspending the 17th bid round, 7th subsalt production-sharing auction and second transfer-of-rights sale. The 17th bid round has been rescheduled for Oct. 7, while the second transfer-of-rights sale is scheduled for Dec. 17. The 7th subsalt auction has not yet been rescheduled.

　　The ANP did hold the second cycle of the regulator's Open Acreage sale, which is triggered by a manifestation of interest by individual oil companies. A total of 17 blocks were sold, but just one offshore, and about $10.9 million in signing bonuses were raised during the sale. The ANP expects the third cycle of the Open Acreage program to also be triggered in 2021.

　　Brazil's push to hold licensing sales in 2021 is an important part of restarting activity because exploration is the lifeblood of oil companies, executives noted. Latin America's biggest oil and gas producer also faces increased global competition for oil-industry investments, including neighboring rivals in Guyana and Suriname.