A Brazilian farmer drilling desperately for water instead struck thick black oil that began rising up through a borehole on his land.
The discovery was made in November 2024 in Sitio Santo Estevao, a rural community in Tabuleiro do Norte in Ceara state, north-eastern Brazil.
Farmer Sidronio Moreira drilled to a depth of about 40 metres (131 feet), hoping to find water for his animals in the drought-hit semi-arid region — but was stunned when a dark, oily liquid started bubbling up.
Footage filmed by his family shows him cheering at first, thinking he had finally hit water, before the reality sank in.
Weeks later, the family returned to the well and found the black liquid again, describing it as thick and sticky, with a smell like car oil.
A sample was sent to the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Ceara (IFCE), which carried out tests.
Chemical engineer Adriano Lima, from IFCE, said tests looking at the liquid’s density, thickness, colour and smell suggested it was a hydrocarbon mixture with properties similar to crude oil from onshore fields in the nearby Potiguar Basin.
Even so, only Brazil’s oil and gas regulator — the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) — can officially confirm what it is.
Farmer discovers possible oil while drilling a well in Tabuleiro do Norte, Brazil. The discovery went viral on social media on Monday, 23 February 2026. Note: Photo is a screenshot of a video. (Newsflash)
The family and the institute notified the ANP in July 2025.
On 25th February 2026, after being asked about the case, the agency said it had opened an administrative investigation and would contact the relevant environmental authority to take appropriate measures.
The property is not inside an authorised drilling block, but it sits around 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) from the nearest block in the Potiguar Basin — an area known for oil production.
Under Brazilian law, any mineral resources found underground belong to the federal government, meaning the landowner would not be allowed to extract or sell the oil even if it is officially confirmed.
Farmer discovers possible oil while drilling a well in Tabuleiro do Norte, Brazil. The recording of the moment went viral on social media on Monday, 23 February 2026. Note: Photo is a screenshot from the video (Newsflash)
Sidronio later drilled a second, shallower well in another attempt to find water, but came up empty again.
The family said they stopped further drilling due to financial difficulties and worries about possible environmental contamination.
IFCE said further geological studies and certified testing by the ANP would be needed before any decision could be made on whether there is oil beneath the property — and if so, how much and whether it could ever be commercially viable.
(Aloysius Fernandes /Newsflash)