PELOTAS
BASIN
A RISING GLOBAL EXPLORATION HOTSPOT
The Pelotas Basin, located offshore southern Brazil, represents a large and still largely underexplored frontier along the South Atlantic margin, offering long‑term exploration potential within a stable and well‑established offshore jurisdiction.
Exploration activity to date has been limited and largely based on legacy data. Its tectonic position along the same Atlantic margin that hosts major discoveries in Brazil and southern Africa suggests the presence of key hydrocarbon system elements, while recent advances in seismic imaging have significantly improved visibility of basin‑scale features and renewed industry interest.
The Pelotas Basin offers a compelling early‑stage opportunity for companies seeking scalable frontier exposure beyond Brazil’s mature basins. This growing confidence is underscored by the successful 2024 licensing round and, more recently, by the high number of blocks nominated in the Pelotas Basin during the 5th Cycle of Brazil’s Permanent Offer Acreage.
WHAT'S IN
THE DATA
Together with Searcher Seismic, we have acquired over 17,000 sq. km of 3D seismic, forming the largest multi-client 3D footprint in the Southern Brazil.
- Up to 10 km offsets for diving wave FWI and complete Amplitude Versus Angle coverage
- Imaging was enhanced through data‑driven velocity model building (including FWI and tomography) that corrected pull‑ups, flattened key horizons, restored high‑frequency content using Q‑compensation, and achieved very low well and horizon misties
- Careful attention to Amplitude Versus Angle/Offset (AVA/AVO) as AVA and quantitative interpretation has proven highly successful in de-risking the subsurface prospectivity
AVAILABILITY
AND ACCESS
Season 1 (2024) is fully processed and available to the industry, delivered with Shearwater’s state-of-the-art acquisition and processing technology, ensuring consistently high data quality.
Season 2 (2025) Full integrity products is available.
Season 3 (2026) Decisions-ready data is available.
WHAT'S NEXT
FOR THE
PELOTAS BASIN
The near‑term focus in the Pelotas Basin is the delivery and interpretation of newly acquired multi‑client 3D seismic data. By mid‑2026, more than 17,000 km² of modern 3D seismic coverage will be available following the completion of the three seasons acquisition campaigns, providing explorers with the first basin‑scale, decision‑ready subsurface image.
During this period, operators are expected to concentrate on seismic interpretation, play fairway mapping, and prospect risking.
Over the next one to three years, Pelotas is expected to progress from seismic‑led maturation to pre‑drill readiness, with the potential for first modern exploration wells toward the end of the period positioning it as a medium‑term frontier opportunity rather than an immediate drilling hotspot.
"The Pelotas Basin is a vast and unique underexplored South Atlantic frontier basin with strong geological ties to recent world‑class discoveries on the African margin, offering Brazil scalable long‑term exploration upside beyond its mature offshore basins."
-Adriana Sola, Business Development Manager Multi-Client
YOUR NEXT DECISION
STARTS HERE
Fredrik Amundsen, our VP Global multi client, will walk you through it.
