Petrobras has signed production-sharing contracts for eight offshore exploration blocks in Côte d’Ivoire, extending the Brazilian company’s international exploration portfolio into the West African country.
The contracts were signed in Abidjan on September 17, 2026, by Petrobras Netherlands B.V. (PNBV), a wholly owned Petrobras subsidiary, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and the state-owned PETROCI Holding.
PNBV will operate the blocks with a 90% interest, while PETROCI Holding will hold the remaining 10%.
What happened
The agreements cover the offshore blocks CI-513, CI-600, CI-601, CI-602, CI-603, CI-605, CI-701 and CI-702.
The contracts are for exploration acreage. No oil or gas discovery, production volume, investment amount or commercial result was announced in the reviewed material.
Petrobras said the agreements form part of its strategy to replenish oil and gas reserves through exploration in new frontier areas in Brazil and abroad.
Why it matters
The signing gives Petrobras access to eight additional offshore areas outside Brazil, with PNBV designated as operator. The company’s 90% interest places it in charge of operations under the production-sharing arrangements, alongside PETROCI’s 10% holding.
For readers assessing the announcement, the distinction between exploration rights and production is central. The contracts establish participation in specified offshore blocks, but they do not by themselves confirm the presence of commercially recoverable resources or future output.
The bigger picture
Petrobras described the Côte d’Ivoire contracts as aligned with an exploration strategy covering new frontier areas in Brazil and overseas. The transaction therefore expands the company’s international exploration acreage, rather than representing an announced producing asset or a confirmed discovery.
The agreements also set out a partnership structure involving Petrobras’ wholly owned Netherlands-based subsidiary and PETROCI Holding, Côte d’Ivoire’s state-owned company. PNBV holds the operating role under the signed contracts.
By the numbers
- 8 offshore exploration blocks are covered by the production-sharing contracts.
- 90% is PNBV’s operating interest.
- 10% is PETROCI Holding’s interest.
- September 17, 2026 was the date the contracts were signed in Abidjan.
What happens next
The verified information confirms the execution of the production-sharing contracts and the ownership structure for the eight blocks. It does not provide a timetable for exploration activity, drilling, discoveries, development or production.