Brazil’s oil and gas sector sustained robust growth in 2025, reaching historic production levels that solidify its position as a leading energy producer in Latin America. Continued investment in pre-salt offshore projects and enhanced output efficiency suggest further expansion opportunities in 2026.
Oil and natural gas production in Brazil surged to an average of 4.897 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boe/d) in 2025, marking a 13.3% increase over 2024 and establishing a new national record. Crude oil production alone hit 3.77 million barrels per day (bbl/d), 12.3% higher than the previous year, while natural gas output reached 179 million cubic meters per day (m³/d), reflecting a 17% rise. The deepwater pre-salt reservoirs, situated between 5,000 to 7,000 meters below the seabed, contributed nearly 80% of the total combined production, reaffirming their strategic significance. Post-salt offshore fields and onshore deposits accounted for 15.45% and 4.92% of production respectively. Geographic concentration remains pronounced, with the Santos Basin leading extraction, responsible for 77.79% of offshore output, followed by the Campos Basin at nearly 20%. Rio de Janeiro state produced 87.8% of the country’s oil in 2025, while Espírito Santo surpassed São Paulo as the second-largest producer.
Offshore fields such as Tupi, Búzios, and Mero emerge as key contributors, with Búzios alone accounting for over 20% of output. Petrobras, the state-owned enterprise headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, operated or co-operated fields responsible for more than 90% of national oil and gas production by year-end 2025. Petrobras’ direct operations accounted for nearly 24% of total output in December. In late 2025, monthly production peaked at 5.237 million boe/d, with pre-salt fields again contributing close to 80%.
The expansion in Brazil’s oil and gas output supports domestic industrial growth, notably a 4.9% rise in the extractive sector during 2025. Brazil’s increasing production volume coupled with ongoing infrastructure and offshore investments underpin expectations for continued capacity gains in 2026. The country is positioned to lead oil production growth in Latin America amid shifting global market dynamics, emphasizing its emerging role as a key supplier outside OPEC+ frameworks.
