Petrobras to start Tupi pilot oil output in Oct.

RIO DE JANEIRO, March 23 (Reuters) - Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras (PETR4.SA) (PBR.N) said on Tuesday it would move up the start of a pilot production run at its 5-8 billion barrel Tupi subsalt field to October, from December originally.

Exploration and Production Director Guilherme Estrella said the pilot plan will pump 100,000 barrels of oil per day. It is currently producing 18,000 bpd in a long-term test production run.

The company also said it would start drilling into the subsalt layer in the southern part of the Santos basin in May, Estrella said. Until now, most of the massive subsalt discoveries have occurred further north in the Santos. (Reporting by Denise Luna; writing by Reese Ewing)