Ten companies from nine countries were awarded whole or partial stakes in 12 blocks as part of Brazil’s 16^th Round, the country’s National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas, and Biofuels (ANP) reported on 10 October.

Signature bonuses in the auction, which involved the offshore Campos and Santos Basins, totaled $2.17 billion.

Chevron and Spain’s Repsol secured the most blocks with four each; Qatar Petroleum subsidiary QPI Brasil and Malaysia’s Petronas each gained three blocks; Shell, BP, and Wintershall DEA each added two blocks; and Total, ExxonMobil, and Petrobras were awarded one block each.

A Total-led consortium submitted a record-high $977 million signature bonus on Block C-M-541 in the Campos Basin. Total and QPI Brasil each has a 40% stake in the block while Petronas holds the remaining 20%.

Wintershall DEA said Blocks C-M-845 and S-M-766, on which the company is partnered with Repsol and operator Chevron, are 150 km southeast of the presalt Libra discovery and near Blocks S-M-764, C-M-821, and C-M-823, where the three firms are already partnered.

Companies awarded blocks in the round are expected to invest $380 million during the concessions’ exploration phases. ANP said it expects the round to eventually yield production of 400,000–500,000 B/D.

Next up for Brazil are the transfer of rights surplus bid round on 6 November and production-sharing contract round on 7 November.