Brazil’s pre-salt, ultradeep Tupi asset has reached cumulative production of 4 billion BOE after 20 years of operations in the Santos Basin, Petrobras announced last week, calling the milestone a first in its 73-year history.
Tupi is operated by Petrobras, in partnership with Shell, Petrogal Brasil (a joint venture between Portugal’s Galp and China’s Sinopec), and Pré-Sal Petróleo S.A., which represents the federal government in the Tupi Shared Deposit.
Discovered in 2006, Tupi entered commercial production in 2010. It was Petrobras’ first pre-salt asset to do so and has since become the company’s most productive assets.
"Production at Tupi ushered in a new era for the global oil industry. Over these 20 years, the pre-salt layer, which is also home to the supergiant Búzios and Mero fields, has proven to be a unique combination of large reserves, high productivity, oil with a lower carbon footprint, and above-average efficiency," Petrobras' Director of Exploration and Production Sylvia Anjos said.
Petrobras’ Pre-Salt Bonanza
Petrobras’ main source of production is from the pre-salt, which its 2026–2030 Business Plan projects could account for up to 82% of total production by the end of the decade.
Brazil’s total oil and gas production through 2030 is projected at between 3.1 million to 3.4 million BOED. Production growth will depend on reservoir management and maximizing reservoir potential, improved production efficiency, enhanced water-injection efficiency, and the mapping of new opportunities, Petrobras said.
Of Petrobras’ 57 production platforms, 28 operate exclusively in the pre-salt region, which reached cumulative production of 7 billion BOE in January 2025, Petrobras said.
To operate in the pre-salt frontier, Petrobras overcame technological challenges associated with ultradeepwater development. In the case of Tupi, water depths reach about 2,000 m (6,600 ft).