Future Kwanza Basin Potential

Beyond Kaminho — Basin Potential

The Kaminho project is the first — but likely not the last — deepwater development in the Kwanza Basin. MIREMPET Minister Diamantino Azevedo explicitly stated that Kaminho "will undoubtedly encourage further exploration investments" in the basin. The project de-risks the pre-salt play, establishes subsea and FPSO infrastructure, and proves commercial viability — creating a potential hub for future development.

Exploration Upside on Block 20/11

TotalEnergies continues active exploration on Block 20/11. The Grenadier-1 well, drilled by the Valaris DS-12 in approximately 1,500 meters water depth and located about 10 km from the Golfinho discovery, targets a similar pre-salt carbonate structure. Success at Grenadier-1 could add resources to the Kaminho development hub.

Additionally, several of Cobalt's original discoveries remain undeveloped: Zalophus (gas-condensate, estimated 813 MMboe in-place), Lontra, Mavinga, and Bicuar. These satellite accumulations, previously sub-commercial, could become viable as tiebacks to the FPSO Kaminho — using the existing subsea infrastructure and FPSO processing capacity to develop marginal fields at reduced cost.

New Licensing Opportunities

The ANPG could offer additional Kwanza Basin acreage in future bidding rounds. Open or relinquished blocks adjacent to Block 20/11 would benefit from the de-risking effect of the Kaminho discoveries and the presence of established infrastructure. Companies seeking Kwanza Basin exposure would bring fresh exploration ideas and potentially modern seismic data.

Multi-Project Development Hub

The long-term vision for the Kwanza Basin pre-salt is a multi-project development hub — analogous to the development model that made Brazil's Santos Basin one of the world's most productive petroleum provinces. The FPSO Kaminho's 70,000 bpd capacity, Saipem's 12+8 year O&M contract, and the SLB OneSubsea 13-well subsea production system (designed for phased expansion) all accommodate this potential. The Kwanza Basin's estimated total resource base (1.3+ Bb from Cobalt's discoveries alone, with significant unexplored acreage) supports a multi-decade development horizon.

For the production context, investment opportunities, and strategic scenarios, see our dedicated pages.