Brazil’s 5th Cycle of Permanent Offer Acreage: The Moment Has Arrived

Upcoming OPC Round Showcases 172 High-Potential Blocks Across Onshore and Offshore Basins, Backed by TGS 2D and 3D Seismic Data

Excitement is building in Brazil’s upstream sector as the 5th Cycle of the Permanent Offer Acreage (Oferta Permanente de Concessão – OPC) moves toward its highly anticipated public bid session on June 17, 2025.

As of March, 31 companies have registered and are officially eligible to participate, with 12 of them submitting expressions of interest and bid guarantees for the 16 sectors up for offer. This level of engagement reflects continued momentum in one of Latin America’s most promising exploration markets.

The bidding session will kick off with onshore blocks in the Parecis Basin, followed by offshore opportunities spread across 14 key sectors in the Foz do Amazonas, Potiguar, Santos, and Pelotas Basins. A total of 172 blocks have received formal expressions of interest—including 152 offshore blocks where TGS delivers industry-leading 2D and 3D seismic coverage, empowering informed exploration decisions.

This 5th Cycle represents not just another licensing round, it’s a strategic milestone that builds on the record-breaking interest seen in previous cycles, while pushing exploration into new and underexplored regions.

Figure 1. Brazil Map – ALL TGS Data and OPC Blocks 

In recent months, seismic data availability across Brazil has significantly improved, further enhancing exploration potential.

Equatorial Margin

Oil and gas exploration along Brazil’s Equatorial Margin has gained positive momentum, largely driven by Petrobras’s progress toward securing a drilling permit for the Morpho prospect in Block FZA-M-59. In April 2025, Petrobras completed and licensed a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center in Oiapoque, Amapá—fulfilling a key environmental requirement set by IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources). The facility is equipped to handle potential oil spill impacts on local fauna, including birds, marine mammals, turtles, dolphins, and manatees. Following this milestone, IBAMA approved Petrobras’s fauna rescue plan in May, clearing the way for the final step––a full-scale simulation test prior to granting the drilling license.

In support of exploration efforts in the region, TGS continues to invest in the acquisition of high-quality geophysical data across the Equatorial Margin. In May 2025, acquisition was completed for PAMA Phase 1—a 19,343 km² multi-client 3D seismic program covering three blocks from Brazil’s 5th Permanent Offer Cycle. Fast-track products are expected by February 2026.

Following PAMA 3D Phase 1, TGS has embarked on another large-scale 3D seismic acquisition in the Pará Maranhão Basin, PAMA Phase 2—this 11,534 km² program is located north of Phase 1—bringing new, high-resolution 3D seismic data to one of the most promising portions of the basin. Bounded by transforms, the Pará Maranhão region opened as a pull-apart basin in the Middle Cretaceous. Exploration wells and existing 2D seismic data reveal thick sedimentary units, multiple petroleum systems (marine anoxic, deltaic, lacustrine), stacked turbidity channels, carbonate platforms, and proven light oil shows.  The culmination of these data points indicates highly prospective deep-water targets.  

By the end of 2025, over 30,000 km² of new seismic data will be available across the Equatorial Margin. This significant volume of subsurface information will play a critical role in de-risking exploration and accelerating the development of one of Brazil’s most exciting frontier basins.

Figure 2.  PAMA Phase 1 and Phase 2 3DM Surveys 

Southern Santos

In late March 2025, TGS completed the final KPSDM processing for the Santos Sul 3DMC survey, one of the most advanced datasets in the Santos Basin. This project utilizes Geostreamer technology, a triple source configuration, and TGS’s latest velocity model building tool, Dynamic Matching FWI (Full-Waveform Inversion).

TGS’ Santos Sul 3D in the Southern Santos Basin reveals areas of significant potential in blocks that will be included in the 5th Cycle of permanent offer acreage in Brazil. As illustrated in Figure 4, a full-stack overlayed with the FWI velocity model demonstrates exceptional detail in the pre-salt region and highlights channel features within the Cretaceous and early Tertiary intervals. 

Figure 3.  Santos Sul 3DMC 

Figure 4.   Santos 3DMC - Seismic Image from a Block included in the 5th Cycle OPC 

As Brazil approaches a pivotal moment set by the ANP––the public session for bid presentations on June 17, 2025––the upcoming round is drawing strong interest from numerous companies. A total of 152 offshore blocks are on offer, many of which feature promising prospects identified in TGS data.

This event could mark a significant turning point for Brazil’s offshore exploration landscape. TGS is proud to support the industry by providing high-quality seismic data and insights, empowering E&P companies to make informed decisions and drive the country’s energy future forward.

For more information, contact us at latinamerica@tgs.com.