Petrobras has made a new gas discovery at the Sandia 1 exploratory well in Block GUA OFF O in deep waters off the Caribbean coast of Colombia. The well sits about 42 kilometers from shore in a water depth of 1,251 meters, roughly 18 kilometers from the earlier Sirius 1 discovery and Sirius 2 appraisal wells and 9 kilometers from the Copoazu 1 discovery.
The Brazilian state owned operator holds the well through its subsidiary Petrobras International Braspetro Colombia Branch, which leads the consortium with a 44.44 percent stake alongside Ecopetrol on 55.56 percent. Drilling used the Noble Discoverer, a 2009 built sixth generation semi submersible rig that Petrobras first hired in December 2023 and extended by 390 days in April 2025.
The Sandia 1 well spudded on June 12, 2026, and reached its final depth on July 29, 2026. The rig can work in water depths of up to 10,000 feet and drill to 40,000 feet. Petrobras said the zones where gas was detected are being evaluated through well logs and will undergo further laboratory analysis.
Both partners framed the result as confirmation of the gas potential in the Colombian Caribbean. Ecopetrol said the find supports an offshore campaign aimed at lifting domestic gas supply, while Petrobras tied the work to a strategy of replacing reserves through exploration in new frontiers.
The discovery adds to a run of South American deepwater gas success that has drawn majors and national oil companies back to the region. For Colombia, which faces tightening domestic gas balances, the Sandia, Sirius and Copoazu cluster points to a possible offshore supply hub that could reduce the country's reliance on imports.