Minister refutes decision against oil extraction in Foz do Amazonas

The exploration of oil and gas on the Brazilian equatorial margin may become “insurmountable”, if the requirement to carry out a new study of Environmental Assessment of the Sedimentary Area is maintained. This assessment was made by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, who participated in a session at the Senate Infrastructure Committee, this Wednesday (24). For the minister, there is no issue that cannot be overcome in the decision of the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) which denied oil exploration in the region, with the exception of the study of the Sedimentary Area. “It is an issue to be overcome. And it is possible to be overcome because in the opinion itself there are no insurmountable issues. It will only become insurmountable if the Assessment of the Sedimentary Area is discussed”, said the minister. Both the Ministry of Mines and Energy and Petrobras argue that the study should have been carried out before the bidding for the blocks. Ibama, on the other hand, has demanded that the study be carried out, which is the responsibility of the ministries of the Environment and Mines and Energy. This study evaluates, among other points, the possible socio-environmental impacts resulting from the exploitation of oil and natural gas. Alexandre Silveira said that he tried to articulate with the president of Ibama a way of overcoming the obstacles to licensing, but that he was surprised by the decision to deny exploration of the area. “The consideration for Ibama was that before taking the decision this should be better debated. And three weeks passed when I was surprised by the decision without a deeper debate, which I would call a government debate on an issue that is so strategic for Brazil and for the world. It’s about sitting around the table and saying what needs to be done, what is pending to overcome the licensing issue”, he said. Located about 170 kilometers off the coast of Amapá and about 500 kilometers from the mouth of the Amazon River, the region has been pointed out by Petrobras and the Ministry of Mines and Energy as a possible new pre-salt layer.

Agência Brasil