Total resigns as operator of five exploration blocks in Amazonas basin

French oil major Total has opted to resign from its role of operator for five exploration blocks located in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, 120km offshore Brazil.

According to the company, FZA-M-57, FZA-M-86, FZA-M-88, FZA-M-125, and FZA-M-127 blocks are the five exploration blocks that Total will no longer be operating.

Total notified its partners that it was resigning the operator role on 19 August.

The company informed the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) of its decision, which opens a period of six months for the appointment of a new operator.

During the six-month period, Total must continue monitoring all regulatory processes on behalf of its partners BP and Petrobras.

Total has been operating in Brazil for more than 40 years, with over 3,000 employees in the country.

The company operates in segments such as exploration and production (E&P), gas, lubricants, renewable energies, chemicals, and distribution.

Last November, Total and consortium partners announced first oil from the Iara licence (Block BM-S-11A) in the deepwater Santos Basin pre-salt in Brazil.

In December 2017, Total made the investment decision for the first phase of development for the Libra project, 180km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Source: offshore-technology

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