Pre-salt output hits record 220,000boe/d in September

September oil and gas production from Brazil's pre-salt fields exceeded 200,000boe/d for the third consecutive month, according to the latest figures from industry regulator ANP. Output hit a record 220,000boe/d on the back of drilling from three new production wells in the Campos basin's Baleia Azul field, operated by federal energy major Petrobras (NYSE: PBR). The figure, which represents an 8.3% increase on August, comprises 183,000b/d of oil and 5.9Mm3/d of natural gas. Among Petrobras' 13 pre-salt production prospects, eight feature in the list of Brazil's 30 highest producing wells. Besides Baleia Azul field, the country's pre-salt wells are also located at Lula (five wells), Jubarte, Caratinga e Barracuda, Marlim Leste, Marlim e Voador, and Barracuda. Overall September oil output from pre and sub-salt fields totaled 1.92Mb/d, down 4% on August. The Campos basin's Marlim Sul field was the most productive for oil and second for gas with 318,000boe/d. Natural gas output rose 9.9% on the previous month to 71.1Mm3/d with the Manati field in the northeast's Camamu basin reaching a national high of 6.7Mm3/d. According to ANP, 89.9% of oil and 76% of gas production came from offshore fields while 93.7% of overall oil and gas output was derived from fields operated by Petrobras.