Oil and Gas | Permanent Offer – May 2026

ANP Publishes Schedule for the 6th OPC Cycle and 4th OPP Cycle

On May 22, 2026, ANP published in the Federal Official Gazette of the Union the schedules for the 6th Cycle of the Permanent Concession Offer (OPC) and the 4th Cycle of the Permanent Production Sharing Offer (OPP). According to the published timetable, the public bid sessions for both cycles are scheduled to take place jointly on October 7, 2026.

The OPC will comprise 495 blocks and five areas with marginal accumulations, distributed across 11 sedimentary basins. In the latest update to the bidding rules, published on May 12, 2026, 45 new exploratory blocks were added, including 37 offshore blocks in the Campos and Santos basins and 8 onshore blocks in the Potiguar Basin.

The OPP will encompass 23 exploratory blocks within the pre-salt polygon, following the inclusion of 15 new blocks in the latest update to the bidding rules, published on April 6, 2026.
To participate in the 6th OPC Cycle or the 4th OPP Cycle, companies not yet registered may apply for qualification until June 5, 2026. The procedures are available on ANP’s bidding webpage (link)

ANP assesses partnership with B3 for Permanent Offer auctions as of 2027

On April 27, 2026, during the workshop “New ANP E&P Bidding Model: Partnership with B3”, ANP Director Symone Araújo presented a proposal for a new model for oil and natural gas exploration and production bidding rounds, in partnership with B3. The proposal provides that the Agency would retain responsibility for strategic decisions, such as the selection and configuration of the areas to be offered, while B3 would provide the infrastructure required to hold the auctions.

The proposed changes are not expected to apply to the Permanent Offer cycles scheduled for 2026, with implementation expected from 2027 onward. According to ANP, the new model seeks to improve the bidding process and allow the Agency to focus its work on the strategic aspects of the rounds.

The proposal also provides for the full digitalization of documentation, eliminating paper submissions, as well as the possibility of holding the auctions either at B3’s headquarters or fully online. To implement the new model, ANP stated that the Permanent Offer tender protocols will need to be amended, with prior submission to public consultation and public hearing.

This content is part of the Oil and Gas Newsletter for the month of May 2026, gathering the main sector highlights of the period. We emphasize that this material is for informational purposes only. Our team is available to provide additional information on these and other topics.