Petrobras will take over the operation of block FZA-M-59, in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, and will be the main operator responsible for the areas contracted in deep waters in the region in 2013, in the 11th round. The information is from the National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANP), which approved the change in the contract.
So far, companies have not obtained Ibama environmental licenses to drill in Foz do Amazonas.
Petrobras remains with 30% and BP with 70% of the FZA-M-59. The block is one of the nine purchased in the 11th round of 2013, most of them in consortia led by Total, which gave up on the project.
The move comes a month after Total announced that it will transfer all of its stake in five Foz do Amazonas blocks to its partners and if BP waives the increase in stake, Petrobras will retain 70% of the assets.
In the balance of the changes, Petrobras will be the operator of blocks FZA-M-57, FZA-M-59, FZA-M-86, FZA-M-88, FZA-M-125 and FZA-M-127, all in partnership with BP. Enauta (FZA-M-90) and PetroRio (FZA-M-254 and FZA-M-539) also operate in the region.
Operators fail to obtain license to drill in Foz
Total and BP have applied for exploration licenses to drill in Foz do Amazonas, but Ibama denied the requests. For the environmental agency, studies were lacking that detailed the impacts and, therefore, the necessary measures for the activity to occur safely.
It also weighs on the fact that the blocks are close to the border with French Guiana, since there is an understanding that coordination with the neighboring country is necessary, which can be harmed in the event of an oil spill.
The region was part of a campaign by the international NGO Greenpeace, which advocates that no oil activities be conducted in Foz do Amazonas. It gained notoriety after an expedition to study coral formations off the coast of Amapá.
Total came to restart licensing to drill seven wells in Foz do Amazonas, the largest campaign planned for the region, but gave up. In the past, Petrobras drilled in Foz do Amazonas, but without discoveries that justified additional investments.
The release of drilling is a demand from politicians in Amapá, a state that could benefit from hiring local services and increasing port handling.
“What is lacking there is only Ibama’s license. It is being delayed. We will need your support a lot to solve this. Amapá is on this development path, ”said Senator Lucas Barreto (PSD / AP) during the ceremony of Symone Araújo and Rodolfo Saboia, as future directors of the ANP.
Symone Araújo argued that it is necessary to integrate government areas more to unlock exploration in a new frontier.
“It is of great value for Brazil that we move into new frontiers. We don’t know the potential of our basins. We use less than 5% potential in the house, ”she said.
Source: epbr
Brazil Energy Insight 