State-owned energy company Qatar Petroleum (QP) has reportedly been awarded a contract to explore four offshore oil blocks in Brazil.

In a statement, the company said the blocks are located in the Campos basin off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

The company is to get a 30 per cent stake in two of the blocks that are planned for exploration with US oil major ExxonMobil and local oil firm Petrobras.

QP will hold a 36 per cent stake in two other blocks in the Santos area that are to be explored along with ExxonMobil.

The blocks were offered by Brazil in its 15th licensing round. Exxon has won eight blocks in total in the bidding round, and will operate six of those.

Brazil has reportedly raised $2.4bn from the licensing round from 13 companies that participated in it.