The amount of pre-salt oil being produced by Petrobras is continuing to contribute an everrising share of the country’s overall output, with the state-owned operator’s latest figures revealing it averaged 310,200 b/d in June.

The new record figure includes the share operated by the company for its partners, it added.

In total, and thanks largely to the startup of new wells on deepwater fields in the Santos and Campos basins, oil output (oil plus natural gas liquids) of all of Petrobras’ fields in Brazil was 1,979,000 b/d, 4.6% higher than in May (1,892,000 b/d).

The increase in production was due to the startup of new wells connected to the FPSO Cidade de Itajaí on the Baúna field in the Santos Basin, and the FPSO Brasil on the Roncador field in the Campos Basin. This was in addition to the startup of production to the FPSO Cidade de Paraty on the Lula NE Pilot Project in the Santos Basin pre-salt.

The increase was further aided by the return to operation of platforms P-25 and P- 31 on the Albacora field, and the FPSO Cidade de Angra dos Reis on the Lula field pilot project. These units underwent planned shutdowns in May.