Block in Foz do Amazonas could contain 5.6 billion barrels of oil, according to Petrobrás study

Potential

Exploration in the region is controversial and divides government

The Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, reported, this Friday (29), that internal studies by Petrobras show that a single block on the Equatorial Margin, in the Amazon region of Amapá, could contain reserves of more than 5.6 billion of barrels of oil.

Silveira’s comments come at a time when the oil company is seeking to drill a well in the Foz do Rio Amazonas Basin, on the coast of Amapá, a controversial issue that divides ministers under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Exploration potential

A presentation made by Minister Alexandre Silveira to the Mines and Energy Committee of the Chamber of Deputies in May estimated the possibility of extracting 10 billion barrels of oil at the mouth of the Amazon.

Controversy

In May, the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) denied Petrobras a license to drill a block in Foz do Amazonas.

“There is no doubt that Petrobras was offered every opportunity to resolve critical points in its project, but that it still presents worrying inconsistencies for safe operation in a new exploratory frontier of high socio-environmental vulnerability,” said the president of Ibama, Rodrigo Agostinho , in an official note at the time.

At the time, Petrobras sought to appeal the decision. Criticized by politicians in favor of exploration, Ibama said the decision would be “technical” and taken by a “highly specialized” team.

With no plans for Ibama to retreat, Petrobras reported in July that it would remove the probe installed in Amapá to investigate the existence of oil on the equatorial margin.

In August, Lula stated that the government was still discussing the matter internally and that if the existence of resources in the region were discovered, it would be discussed how to exploit them without causing “any environmental damage”.

*With information from CNN Brasil

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