Petrobras discovers gas well on Colombia's equatorial margin

On August 3, 2026, Petrobras announced the discovery of a new deepwater gas well in Colombia. The well, identified as Sandia-1, is located in block GUA-OFF-0 within the Guajira Basin, and represents another step in the state-owned company's long-term strategy.

Well location and characteristics

Sandia-1 is 42 kilometres off the Colombian coast, on a water column of 1,251 metres. The well is also 70.7 km from the city of Santa Marta. Compared with other recent discoveries, it lies 18 km from the Sirius-1 well and 9 km from the Copoazu-1 well, both already recognized as having great potential.

Drilling process

Drilling began on June 12 and reached final depth on Wednesday, August 29. The technical progress followed the schedule set by the subsidiary Petrobras International Braspetro B.V – Colombia Branch (PIB-COL), which is responsible for operations in the region.

Partnership and equity participation

Exploration in the Guajira Basin is carried out in a consortium with the Colombian state oil company Ecopetrol. Colombians hold 55.56 % of the consortium, while Brazilians maintain 44.44 %. Although a minority shareholder, Petrobras acts as the operator of the exploration in the block.

Strategic importance

According to the company, the discovery “reinforces the gas potential in Colombian offshore, adding volumes that will contribute to the region’s energy security.” The initiative aligns with the strategy of rebuilding oil and gas reserves, seeking new frontiers and partnerships that meet global energy demand during the energy transition.

Production outlook

The discovered gas is being evaluated through well profiles and will be characterized by laboratory analyses. Petrobras indicates that, although the volume is significant, production should serve the Colombian domestic market, meeting the high local energy demand.

With information from Agência Brasil.