Petrobras starts Búzios P-79 FPSO ahead of plan

Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras reports that the P-79 platform in the Búzios field began production earlier than planned in its 2026–2030 business plan.

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras reports that the P-79 platform in the Búzios field began production earlier than planned in its 2026–2030 business plan. P-79 can process 180 thousand barrels of oil per day and 7.2 million cubic meters of gas compression per day.

With this eighth platform in the Búzios field, total installed production capacity there rises to approximately 1.33 million barrels of oil per day. The project also enables gas exports to the mainland via the Rota 3 pipeline, with potential to expand Brazil’s gas supply by up to 3 million cubic meters per day.

P-79 is an FPSO unit designed to reduce emissions and improve efficiency and is part of the Búzios 8 development, which includes 14 subsea wells using intelligent completion systems. Búzios, discovered in 2010 in the pre-salt Santos Basin, is planned to host 12 FPSOs in total.

Insights

Offshore energy and infrastructure analyst

Early P-79 start-up boosts Búzios capacity and future gas supply.

The early production start of P-79 in the Búzios field adds capacity of 180 thousand barrels of oil per day and 7.2 million cubic meters of gas compression per day. This raises installed Búzios oil capacity to about 1.33 million barrels per day, reinforcing its role as a core asset.

The connection to the Rota 3 pipeline allows gas export to shore, with potential to increase Brazil’s gas supply by up to 3 million cubic meters per day. Future value will depend on actual ramp-up performance, reliability of the new FPSO design, and execution of the remaining Búzios FPSO projects.

Key Figures

P-79 oil capacity: 180 thousand barrels of oil per day P-79 gas compression: 7.2 million cubic meters per day Búzios installed oil capacity: 1.33 million barrels of oil per day +3 more

6 metrics

P-79 oil capacity 180 thousand barrels of oil per day Nameplate capacity of new P-79 FPSO

P-79 gas compression 7.2 million cubic meters per day Gas compression capacity on P-79

Búzios installed oil capacity 1.33 million barrels of oil per day Total installed capacity after P-79 start-up

Potential gas supply increase 3 million cubic meters per day Potential expansion of gas supply in Brazil via Rota 3

Number of Búzios 8 wells 14 wells Búzios 8 project includes 8 producers and 6 injectors

Planned FPSOs in Búzios field 12 FPSOs Total FPSOs planned for Búzios development

Key Terms

FPSO, pre-salt layer, Santos Basin, intelligent completion systems, +1 more

5 terms

FPSO technical

"The P-79 platform, an FPSO-type unit, features a new hull design"

A FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading unit) is a ship-like facility that sits offshore to process oil or gas pumped up from under the seabed, store the product, and transfer it to tankers or pipelines. For investors it matters because an FPSO turns remote reserves into cash: it represents a major capital asset and source of revenue but also concentrates operational, maintenance and safety risks that can affect production levels, costs and company valuation.

pre-salt layer technical

"located in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin"

Santos Basin technical

"in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin"

intelligent completion systems technical

"equipped with intelligent completion systems to enhance production management"

production-sharing contracts regulatory

"PPSA, the company responsible for managing the production-sharing contracts"

A production-sharing contract (PSC) is an agreement between a government and an oil, gas, or mining company where the company funds and conducts exploration and production and, in return, keeps a specified share of the extracted product as payment after costs are recovered. Think of it like a sharecropping arrangement: the company bears upfront costs and risks, and the government keeps ownership but receives a negotiated slice of output and revenue, which affects project cash flows, profit potential, and risk exposure for investors.

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did Petrobras (PBR) announce about the P-79 platform?

Petrobras announced that the P-79 FPSO in the Búzios field began production earlier than planned. The unit adds significant new oil and gas processing capacity and forms part of the wider Búzios 8 development, including multiple subsea wells and new pipelines.

How much production capacity does P-79 add for Petrobras (PBR)?

P-79 has capacity for 180 thousand barrels of oil per day and 7.2 million cubic meters of gas compression per day. This lifts the Búzios field’s total installed production capacity to about 1.33 million barrels of oil per day, strengthening Petrobras’s offshore output base.

How does P-79 affect natural gas supply in Brazil?

The P-79 project allows gas to be exported to shore via the Rota 3 pipeline, potentially expanding Brazil’s gas supply by up to 3 million cubic meters per day. This links Búzios gas output to the mainland network and supports broader domestic energy availability.

What is included in the Búzios 8 Production Development project?

Búzios 8 includes the P-79 FPSO and 14 wells, with 8 producers and 6 injectors. These wells use intelligent completion systems to improve production management. Rigid and flexible subsea pipelines connect the unit for production, injection, gas export, and service lines offshore Brazil.

How many FPSOs operate or are planned in Petrobras’s Búzios field?

There are currently eight FPSOs in operation at Búzios, including P-79, with P-80, P-82 and P-83 under construction and Búzios 12 under bidding. In total, Petrobras plans 12 FPSOs in the Búzios field, reflecting its long-term development strategy there.

Who are Petrobras’s partners in the Búzios field consortium?

The Búzios field is operated by Petrobras in consortium with Chinese partners CNOOC and CNODC, plus PPSA. PPSA is responsible for managing the production-sharing contracts. This partnership structure governs development and output from the large pre-salt Búzios field.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

Form 6-K: How Foreign Companies Report to the SEC →

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Accepted by SEC EDGAR 05/01/2026 - 04:04 PM EDT Learn about SEC filing dates

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the month of May, 2026

Commission File Number 1-15106

PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S.A. – PETROBRAS

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Brazilian Petroleum Corporation – PETROBRAS

(Translation of Registrant's name into English)

Avenida Henrique Valadares, 28 – 9th floor 
20231-030 – Rio de Janeiro, RJ
Federative Republic of Brazil

(Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F. 

Form 20-F ___X___ Form 40-F _______

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes _______ No___X____

 

Petrobras brings forward start-up of Búzios 8 (P-79)

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Rio de Janeiro, May 1, 2026 – Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras announces that the P-79 platform, located in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin, began production today, ahead of the date scheduled in Business Plan 2026–2030 (BP 26–30). As the eighth platform in the Búzios field, with a capacity of 180 thousand barrels of oil per day and 7.2 million cubic meters of gas compression per day, the unit will increase the field’s total installed production capacity to approximately 1.33 million barrels of oil per day. The project will allow gas to be exported to the mainland via connection to the Rota 3 pipeline, with potential to expand the gas supply in Brazil by up to 3 million cubic meters per day.

P-79 arrived in Brazil in February, coming from South Korea, with commissioning and operations teams on board. This strategy generated value by eliminating the need for a stop in sheltered waters in Brazil, and resulted in gains in safety, reliability, and operational readiness through the advancement of system commissioning during transit.

The P-79 platform, an FPSO-type unit, features a new hull design equipped with technologies to reduce emissions and improve operational efficiency. The FPSO is part of the Búzios 8 Production Development project, which includes 14 wells — 8 producers and 6 injectors — equipped with intelligent completion systems to enhance production management. The unit will be connected through rigid pipelines for production, injection, and gas export, as well as flexible pipelines for service lines, enabling the high-capacity production planned for the field's wells.

P-79 is the eighth platform in operation at the Búzios field, the largest in the country in terms of reserves, which last year surpassed the milestone of 1 million barrels per day. Discovered in 2010, the field is located 180 km off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in ultra-deep waters of the Santos Basin, at depths greater than 2,000 meters. The field is currently operated with FPSOs P-74, P-75, P-76, P-77, Almirante Barroso, Almirante Tamandaré and P-78 (started up in December 2025). FPSOs P-80, P-82 and P-83 are under construction, and Búzios 12 is under bidding. In total, the Búzios field will house 12 FPSOs.

The Búzios consortium operating in the field is composed of Petrobras (operator), the Chinese partner companies CNOOC and CNODC, and PPSA, the company responsible for managing the production-sharing contracts.

www.petrobras.com.br/ir

For more information:

PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S.A. – PETROBRAS | Investor Relations

Email: petroinvest@petrobras.com.br/acionistas@petrobras.com.br

Av. Henrique Valadares, 28 – 9th floor – 20231-030 – Rio de Janeiro, RJ.

Tel.: 55 (21) 3224-1510/9947

This document may contain forecasts within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), and Section 21E of the Securities Trading Act of 1934, as amended (Trading Act) that reflect the expectations of the Company's officers. The terms: "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "predicts", "intends", "plans", "projects", "aims", "should," and similar terms, aim to identify such forecasts, which evidently involve risks or uncertainties, predicted or not by the Company. Therefore, future results of the Company's operations may differ from current expectations, and the reader should not rely solely on the information included herein.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: May 1, 2026

PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S.A–PETROBRAS

By: /s/ Fernando Sabbi Melgarejo

______________________________

Fernando Sabbi Melgarejo

Chief Financial Officer and Investor Relations Officer