Brazilian major Petrobras has confirmed the discovery of good quality oil with its third ultra-deepwater well drilled in the Transfer of Rights area in the pre-salt Santos Basin.

The 1-BRSA-1045-SPS (1-SPS-96) well was drilled in the southern portion of the Sapinhoá field in the Sul de Guará area. Under the terms of the contract, Petrobras has the right to produce up to 319 million barrels of oil equivalent.

This discovery was drilled in a water depth of 2,202 m (7,225 ft) approximately 320 km off the coast of São Paulo State. Petrobras said the find confirmed good quality oil (about 27º API) via wireline tests, obtained from carbonate reservoirs below the salt layer.

The well is currently being drilled to a planned total depth of 5,058 m (16,595 ft), in order to determine the lower limit of the reservoir.

After drilling is completed, a formation test will be conducted to evaluate the productivity of the oil reservoirs, added the operator.