Rio de Janeiro (Reuters)-Petrobras (;) needs to obtain license to drill an exploratory well in the Amazon River Foz basin until April, since the selected probe contract wins in October, an estimated deadline for the work with the contracted equipment, said the presentation of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, made public on Wednesday.
Petrobras for years has been a approval of the Ibama federal environmental agency for the holding of the well, in ultra -proofing waters of Amapá. The ministry believes that the region where the exploratory bloc may contain “a new pre-salt”, but other wings of the government fear the great social and environmental sensitivity of the place.
“The license needs to be issued until April 2025, because the contract of the probe responsible for drilling wins in October 2025,” said the presentation.
There would be the possibility of replacing the current probe with another, with one new contract, but this could further delay the project, according to a source of Ibama with knowledge of the subject.
“(The replacement) is not something so complex if it is a similar probe of the same generation, with the same characteristics, etc,” said the source, who spoke as anonymous.
“What is most complex is the need to clean the hull if you have sunset, and very often has,” he added, punctuating that the cleaning “takes a long time.”
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So far, according to the ministry, Petrobras has committed R $ 1 billion in investments aimed at drilling, which seeks to verify the presence of oil in the region. The rent of the probe, according to the ministry, costs approximately US $ 400 thousand per day (or approximately R $ 2.4 million per day).
The probe is already in preparation to be used. Earlier this month, Ibama issued a technical opinion by approving the plan presented by Petrobras to clean the equipment that would drill the block.
Sought, Petrobras did not immediately respond to a request for comments. It was not possible to confirm whether Petrobras could extend the current probe contract.
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The publication of the document occurs after the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, has stated last week that he had asked for a hearing with the president of Ibama, Rodrigo Agostinho, twice, without response.
Later, on Friday, the Environment Minister, Marina Silva, said she would attend the meeting, which should take place on the return of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to Japan.
In February, Ibama technicians recommended that the agency deny authorization for Petrobras to perfury in the Foz do Amazonas basin, according to sources familiar with the subject.
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Ibama has already denied the license for Petrobras in May 2023, but the company made changes to its plans and filed a reconsideration request.
