Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras said on Sept. 28 a third exploratory well found light oil in the Carcara offshore find in the Santos basin, confirming the find extends well beyond the initial discovery.

The well, known as Carcara NW, lies 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) northwest of the original discovery well and runs to a depth of 2 kilometers. Carcara is located in Brazil's offshore subsalt region, where hydrocarbons lie beneath a layer of salt.

Petroleo Brasileiro, as the company is formally known, said pressure readings suggested the oil in the well was from the same accumulation as the previous two wells drilled in the area.

"This well confirms the discovery of good quality oil," Petrobras said in a statement.

Petrobras is the operator of the area with a 66 percent stake. Galp Energia owns 14 percent while Barra Energia do Brasil Petróleo e Gás and Queiroz Galvão Exploração e Produção both own 10 percent.

Discovered in 2012, Carcara was found to have up to 400 meters (1,312 feet) of continuous and connected oil reserves with excellent porosity and permeability. At the time it was the biggest oil column ever found in Brazil's subsalt region.

Offshore