Brazil awarded 251 exploration blocks in its seventh licensing round, up from 154 blocks awarded in the 2004 round. It had offered 1,134 blocks in the latest round of licensing. Petrobras was, once again, the big winner with 95 blocks, followed by 30 blocks for Portugal's Petrogal and 16 blocks for Repsol YPF. British Gas claimed 10 blocks and Shell another five blocks. Devon Energy picked up four blocks and EnCana took two more. Eni of Italy and Amerada Hess of the United States got one block each among the offshore awards. Local companies took all 210 of the onshore blocks in the round. In Round 8, the nation will open new areas in the Santos and Campos basins offshore, according to a Business News Americas report.