Petrobras would like to clarify that the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) adopts a pre-salt production concept that differs from the one adopted by the company. Petrobras considers microbial carbonates located below the salt layer as the pre-salt reservoirs.

The agency, in turn, also includes wells that produce oil from geological formations known as coquinas, which are mainly located in the old fields of the Campos Basin. Of the six wells currently producing from coquina formations, three are in the Linguado field, one in the Trilha field and two in the Pampo, all in the Campos Basin. Their combined total production amounts to about 1.2 million bpd (barrels per day).

So, according to the ANP, 25 wells produced from the pre-salt layer in September and 27 in October. This increase in the number of wells was due to the Accelerated Production System (SPA), connected to well LL- 07, coming into operation on October 26th. This well contributed for four days to the monthly production in October. Furthermore, Petrobras performed a formation test in well ANP - 01, in the Franco area, which lasted just 72 hours. So, the effective production increase was only the short-lived production from well LL- 07, since the Franco well was closed after the aforementioned test had been completed.

Petrobras further informs that there was actually a reduction in the total production from the pre-salt layer, due to operational problems in a compressor on the FPSO Cidade de Angra dos Reis, which is operating in the Santos Basin's Lula field.

The company emphasizes that the problem in November was resolved and on November 22nd a new pre-salt daily production record was registered, of 362,300 bpd.

November also saw the setting of a new pre-salt monthly production record, at an average of 339,000 bpd, thanks to the contribution of LL- 07 throughout that month and the entry into operation of an SPA connected to the RJS-678 well and pumping to the FPSO City of São Vicente.

The daily record of 362,300 bpd was obtained from just 21 producing wells, with the Santos Basin pre-salt layer contributing 185,400 bpd from eight wells, making an average of 23,200 bpd per well. Of the eight, the production of two wells, connected to SPAs, is restricted due to limitations on gas flaring. Meanwhile, the Campos Basin pre-salt layer contributed 176,900 bpd from 13 wells, at an average of 13,600 bpd per well.