Minister of the Environment stated that license depends on environmental analysis of Ibama, even with dialogue between ministers
The Minister of the Environment, said that the decision on oil exploration in the equatorial margin, on the coast of Amapá, will be based on technical criteria, regardless of conversations between ministers and Ibama (Brazilian Institute of Environment).
The statement is after the Minister of Mines and Energy, confirming that with the president of Ibama, Rodrigo Agostinho. The meeting aims to discuss the technical opinion of the agency, which positioned itself against the exploitation of oil at the mouth of Amazonas by Petrobras.
“Regardless of one minister or another looking for Ibama to dialogue, the granting of the license occurs through a technical process, which evaluates the environmental viability of the project. Based on this analysis, adjustment requests may be made, which are presented and evaluated by the technicians. If all difficulties are overcome during the licensing process, the license may be granted. Otherwise, she is denied. But it is a technical decision ”said the minister.
The speech was during an interview with the program “Roda Viva”from TV Cultura, on the night of Monday (10.mar.2025).
Silveira’s goal is to understand the details of Ibama’s negative and refute it. For him, the state -owned company met all the necessary requirements to obtain the exploration license in the equatorial margin region.
The issue resulted in several friction between Ibama and the government of (PT). In February, Silveira said the institute has a position by not explaining the reasons for the decision.
Understand
The equatorial margin has gained notoriety in recent years. Recent oil and gas discoveries on the coast of Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname showed the region’s oil potential, located near the Ecuador line.
In Brazil, it extends from Rio Grande do Norte and goes to Amapá. Petrobras has 16 wells on the new exploratory border. However, there is only authorization from Ibama, an organ linked to, to drill 2 of them, on the coast of Rio Grande do Norte.
Ibama denied license for areas such as the Foz do Amazonas basin, identified as FZA-M-59. The block is 175 km from the coast at a depth of 2,880 km. Despite the name Foz do Amazonas, the place is 540 km from the mouth of the river itself.
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Petrobras states that oil production from the equatorial margin is a strategic decision so that the country does not have to import oil in the next 10 years.
A study by (energy research company) estimates that the full potential volume of the Amazonas Foz Basin can reach 10 billion barrels of equivalent oil. For comparison, data from ANP (National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels) show that Brazil has 66 billion barrels among probable, likely and possible reserves.
