Brazil's oil discoveries, including the Western Hemisphere's largest in three decades, may cost $100 billion more to develop than the industry's most costly field.
The Tupi deposit and nearby offshore prospects probably will cost $240 billion to exploit, said Peter Wells, director of U.K. research firm Neftex Petroleum Consultants Ltd. and a former Royal Dutch Shell Plc exploration manager. The total exceeds the $136 billion estimate for Kazakhstan's Kashagan field, led by Eni SpA, and would be enough to fund the U.S. space program for 14 years.

Brazil's state-controlled Petroleo Basileiro SA will need to enlist international producers such as Exxon Mobil Corp. ... Read full article