(Bloomberg) -- Petrobras Chief Executive Officer Jean Paul Prates highlighted exploration opportunities in his first public appearance after weeks of speculation that he would lose his job as the head of Brazil’s state-controlled oil company.

Prates appeared Thursday evening at an event with hundreds of oil executives in Rio de Janeiro to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ABESPetro oil services association.

In a 25-minute-speech, he called for exploration of the so-called Equatorial Margin offshore region, which could be “the last big oil frontier in Brazil,” adding Petrobras will go back to operating abroad.

He dodged questions from the media about recent speculation that he could be replaced. “Crisis? What crisis?,” he said.

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--With assistance from Jose Orozco.

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