Petrobras gets conditional ANP approval to resume Morpho drilling

Brazil’s regulator cleared the ODN II rig to restart work in the Foz do Amazonas basin after a drilling-fluid leak, pending safety compliance.

Feb 5, 2026 5:03 PM

By Brazil Stock Guide – Petrobras (PETR4 BZ) has received conditional authorization from Brazil’s oil regulator ANP to resume drilling at the Morpho well in the Foz do Amazonas basin, part of the country’s closely watched Equatorial Margin frontier.

The approval, communicated to the state-controlled producer on Wednesday (4), will only take effect once Petrobras proves it has met all safety requirements within the deadlines established by the regulator.

The ODN II rig (NS-42), assigned to the operation, has been suspended since Saturday (4 January) after an incident led to a leak of biodegradable drilling fluid. Petrobras said the spill posed no environmental risk.

Petrobras’ Exploration and Production Director Sylvia Anjos had previously said the license was expected to be issued before ANP’s inspection at the Morpho well. The inspection was initially scheduled for Sunday (9) to Thursday (13) February, but was brought forward to Monday (2).

Among the key conditions imposed by ANP, Petrobras must replace all seals in the riser joints — suspended pipeline sections connecting production lines to platforms — following the most recent procedures. Within five days of installing the final component, the company must submit photographic evidence and an adequacy analysis.

Petrobras must also demonstrate it trained all personnel involved in the new BOP lowering protocol, referring to the blowout preventer, a critical safety device used in offshore drilling. In addition, the company must revise its preventive maintenance plan to reduce the data collection interval for subsea vibration recorders during the first 60 days of operations.

ANP also determined that Petrobras can only use spare riser joints after presenting compliance certificates proving inspection or repairs were carried out under applicable standards.

The conditional authorization comes as Petrobras advances exploration efforts in Brazil’s Equatorial Margin, a region considered strategic for future oil output but monitored closely due to environmental sensitivities.