December 20, 2019
Ibama denied Petrobras’ request to drill an exploratory well in block area BM-P-2 in the Pelotas Basin. The environmental agency recently closed the licensing process, due to technical uncertainties that were not clarified by Petrobras.
Petrobras and Total trying to sell the asset. The teaser, which marks the start of the sale, was launched this week, with a settlement of 30% to 65% of the BM-P-2 contract, which comprises four blocks. The companies are partners, each with 50% of the concession and the sale is joint, not only from Petrobras.
The process at Ibama was filed on December 3. After 14 years of licensing, the technical advice indicates that Petrobras was unable to satisfactorily meet the requests from the environmental agency.
Ibama’s technical department understood that it had no further space for clarification by the company and recommended that the process be filed. As a rule, a drilling project in the region will have to restart all licensing.
Oil modeling
Ibama identified that Petrobras underestimated the volume used for the worst case of oil spill, making it impossible to actually analyze the effects of an oil slick.
Concern was also raised about the possibility of a possible stain reaching a neighboring country, which would require the work of Ibama in conjunction with other government agencies, such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Pelotas Basin extends to Uruguay.
All this work update, technicians assess, would change the oil dispersion scenario for the project.
“In addition, new study design procedures have been created over the past 14 years. The very modeling presented and evaluated in this opinion is a demonstration of that, ”says one of the opinions.
The environmental agency also indicated problems in the following studies:
Gravel and drilling fluid monitoring project (PMFC), which is the management of well drilling tailings;
Individual Emergency Plan, which provides for actions to be taken in the event of a leak, such as containment boats available to the project;
Pollution Control Project (PCP), which involves issues such as effluents and emissions;
Oil Spill Response Plan for albatrosses and petrels, seabirds that may be affected by an incident;
And the mammal, bird and turtle monitoring project (PMAQ) – turtles are the similar turtles and reptiles;
Pellets for sale
BM-P-2 consists of blocks PM-1269, PM-1271- PM-1351, PM-1353, which were contracted in the 6th ANP round in 2004 and are operated by Petrobras, in partnership with Total, who bought 50% in 2013.
Petrobras announced last Monday (16) that it intends to sell its stakes in the four blocks that are part of the BM-P-2 agreement. The offer for the areas will be joint with Total and the companies intend to sell from 30% to 65% of the contract, which encompasses the four blocks.
The teaser released, however, does not include the information that Ibama has denied the environmental drilling license in the region. Ibama’s denial occurred prior to the release of the material. The document only states that the areas are strategically positioned in relation to the ANP’s 18th bidding round, scheduled for 2021, and which has the potential to prove significant volumes and to establish position in a new exploratory frontier.
Epbr contacted Petrobras and Total to find out why the licensing information was not on the teaser, but has not received a response so far. The team also asked, unanswered, whether the companies intend to proceed with the licensing of the areas.
Total advised, through its advisory, that as not being an operator would not comment on the case. The space is open for demonstrations by Petrobras.
The National Petroleum Agency (ANP) has plans for the Pelotas Basin over the next three years. The regulator is currently placing 55 basin blocks in the permanent bid, which bids areas that have already gone through bidding rounds or been returned.
The agency is also planning to offer blocks in Pelotas in the next two concession auctions: 17th and 18th rounds, which will take place in 2020 and 2021. The first competition will offer blocks in Pelotas closer to the Santos Basin border. The second will offer areas near blocks BM-P-02, where Petrobras and Total were denied licensing by Ibama.
Source: epbr
Brazil Energy Insight 
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