Petrobras asks for reconsideration to explore Foz do Amazonas

Petrobras filed, this Thursday (25), with the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama), a request for reanalysis of the environmental license for oil exploration in the Foz do Amazonas basin. The state-owned company wants the environmental agency to reconsider the denial of the license.

The oil company needs environmental authorization from Ibama to start drilling the exploratory well in block FZA-M-059, located in deep waters, 175 kilometers off the coast of Amapá.

Exploration is a phase of the undertaking in which the oil company assesses the block’s commercial potential, verifying whether the deposit really exists and what the profile of the oil and gas is. Only then does the company decide whether or not to start producing oil in that area.

In the application for granting the environmental license, Petrobras undertakes to guarantee 12 vessels, two of which will be kept on standby alongside the rig to immediately collect any spilled oil.

The company is also committed to maintaining five aircraft for monitoring, transport and rescue, in addition to 100 professionals specialized in protecting animals, a national structure for protecting the coast, articulation with countries in the region, advanced oil containment systems, a leak blocking system of wells (Capping), dedicated structure for coordination and response to emergencies and treatment of animals in case of leakage.

Fauna assistance in eventual disasters would be carried out by two bases: one existing in Belém and another in Oiapoque (AP), which will be expanded.

“It is a temporary, low-risk activity, lasting approximately five months. Only after drilling this well will the potential of the block, the existence and profile of an eventual oil deposit be confirmed”, informs Petrobras in a note.

According to the company, the effective production of oil and gas in the region will depend on a new environmental licensing procedure, with more detailed environmental studies and projects.

“The emergency response structure presented by Petrobras in this project is the largest scaled by the company in the country, even larger than those existing in the Campos and Santos basins”, says the company’s note.

The company’s president, Jean Paul Prates, stated that the “process was conducted with the utmost diligence by Petrobras’ sustainability and environment teams, which have been working since they took over the concession from the ANP (National Petroleum Agency) to carry out all stages of the exploratory program of the federal concession of block FZA-M-59”.