Petrobras expects licensing of the Equatorial Margin still in March – News of Brazil
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The Pre-Operational Assessment (APO), which is the final stage for obtaining the environmental license for exploration on the Equatorial Margin, should be carried out in March, according to Petrobras’ expectations. In a note, the company informed that the date for carrying out the APO will be defined shortly, together with the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama). Despite not specifying the date, Petrobras’ board has announced at public events that it expects the licensing to take place in the first quarter.
Last week, Petrobras’ Director of Exploration and Production, Fernando Borges, spoke about the investments the company should make by 2027 during CERAWeek 2023, an oil and gas fair held in Houston (USA). Over five years, the company promises to invest US$ 6 billion in exploration projects, of which US$ 2.9 billion, which represents 49% of the total, will be invested in the Equatorial Margin.
In this region, which extends from Amapá to Rio Grande do Norte, 16 wells are expected to be drilled during this period. The first of these will be the Morpho Well, located in Block FZA-M-59, which is about 175 km off the coast of Amapá and at a depth of 2,880 meters. Petrobras has been waiting for authorization to carry out the simulation since December of last year, but the license for the Fauna Rehabilitation and Depetrolization Center, which is located in Icoaraci and will provide support for the operation, was only obtained in February.
In the United States, Borges pointed out that the APO and the consequent obtaining of the licensing from Ibama may take place in the first quarter of this year. It is the same forecast released by Petrobras technicians who were in Belém in February to discuss projects in the energy sector and business opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
Ibama says that scheduling the APO depends on the evaluation of the Individual Emergency Plans (PEI) presented. According to the agency, these plans are requirements for licensing processes in regions of high environmental sensitivity, as is the case of the Foz do Amazonas sedimentary basin.
“There are pending issues related to the Oleated Fauna Assistance Plan (PPAF). The purpose of the APO is to prove the feasibility of the PEI presented by the entrepreneur. There is no forecast for carrying out this evaluation, since the conceptual approval of the PEI in its entirety has not yet occurred. Ibama is still awaiting responses from Petrobras regarding the last technical opinion, issued on 03/06/2023”informed the IBAMA in note. In a second note, Petrobras states that “is working to respond, as quickly as possible, to the demands received in the last technical report from Ibama”.
In the APO, an oil spill at sea will be simulated and the Ibama team will assess whether the company adequately executes everything that is foreseen in the plans or whether there is a need for adjustment or correction. Only after this stage can the agency issue the license and Petrobras carry out the drilling itself.
After that, the “Assessment Plan” phase begins, in which the different types of wells are established and the economic viability of the area is decided upon. Finally, there is a last stage called “Producer Field”, in which oil production takes place. At this stage, Ibama must grant an operating license for the undertaking.
With information from The Liberal
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