Under terms of the 4th article of Resolution CNPE nº17, released in 06/08/2017, amended by CNPE Resolution nº 3, of 6/4/2020, the National Agency Of Oil, Natural Gas and Biofuel – ANP – implemented the Open Acreage of exploratory blocks and areas with marginal accumulations for awarding concession agreements for exploration or rehabilitation and production of oil and natural gas.
The Open Acreage consisted, until December 2021, of the continuous offer of exploratory blocks and areas with marginal accumulations located in any oshore or offshore basins returned or in the process of being returned to the ANP. The exception were the blocks located in the pre-salt polygon, in the strategic areas or on the Continental Shelf, in addition to the 200 nautical miles, as well as those authorized to compose the 17th and 18th Bidding Round.
On December 9, 2021, CNPE Resolution No. 27/2021 was published, amending CNPE Resolution No. 17/2017, establishing the Open Acreage system as preferential for the offer of areas for exploration and production of oil and natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons. Thus, the ANP is authorized to define and bid in a Open acreage, under the concession regime, blocks in any onshore or offshore basins, as well as to bid for fields returned or in the process of being returned.
This resolution also establishes that fields or blocks in the Pre-Salt Area or in Strategic Areas can only be tendered in the Open Acreage system by specific determination of the CNPE, with definition of the parameters to be adopted for each field or block.
On January 5, 2022, CNPE Resolution nº 26/2021 was published, which authorizes the bidding of 11 blocks in the Open Acreage system, under the production sharing regime, and approves the technical and economic parameters.
The bidders who meet all the registration requirements established in section 4 of the tender protocol will have their application considered suitable for being judged by the Bidding Round Special Commission of Open Acreage (CEL). Once approved, the registered bidders may submit a declaration of interest for any blocks or areas, as long as it is accompanied by an offer guarantee and other documents required in the tender protocol.
Unlike other modalities, in the Open Acreage, a public session for the presentation of offers takes place up to 120 days after the approval by CEL of one or more declarations of interest for any blocks or areas on offer. Upon approval, a new Open Acreage Cycle is opened and CEL publishes its schedule.
At each new cycle of the Open Acreage under the concession or production sharing regime, a schedule is published with dates and deadlines for payments, delivery of documents and other relevant information.
Check below the pages with information regarding the concession and production sharing regimes in the Open Acreage: