Brazil’s Petrobras may bid in Israel gas exploration tender

JERUSALEM, Mar 31 (Reuters): Brazilian state-run oil firm Petrobras is considering bidding in a new tender to explore for oil and gas offshore Israel, a leading Israeli financial news website reported on Sunday.

Calcalist reported that a final decision could be announced during a four-day visit to Israel by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro that began on Sunday.

The possibility of Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the company is formally known, taking part in Israel's newest auction for offshore blocks was raised during a meeting in Houston earlier this month between Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz and his Brazilian counterpart Bento Albuquerque, Calcalist said.

Steinitz's office declined to comment on the report.

Petrobras was not reachable for immediate comment.

A number of large gas discoveries offshore Israel and in nearby eastern Mediterranean waters in the last decade have made Israel a potentially lucrative prospect for big energy firms.