Minister of Mines and Energy states that Guyana was successful in extracting a less polluting oil in the region
The minister of, (PSD), said on Tuesday (8.ab.2025) that the delay in the environmental licensing process for oil and gas exploration on the equatorial margin has difficult to advance the energy transition in Brazil. The statement was made during participation in Gas Week, an event focused on the natural gas sector.
According to Silveira, the delay in analyzing the request of the by (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) has prevented the country from taking advantage of the potential of the Amazon River Foz Basin, located on the Amapá coast.
He pointed out that Guyana has advanced more agile in the region’s exploration and already sell a type of “lighter” oil, with less pollutant emission content.
Understand
Petrobras had its request to explore the FZA-M-59 block in 2023. Since then, the oil company has tried to enable the drilling and check for oil in the region. 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.
Ibama’s delay in analyzing a request has caused wear in the government. Planalto wings and the president (PT) are favorable to the state’s right to explore the equatorial margin.
In February, Silveira said the institute has a position by not explaining the reasons for the decision not to grant the license. The minister asked for a meeting with the president of Ibama, Rodrigo Agostinho, to try to unlock the process.
The meeting did not happen. However, part of the government ministers already gives the agency’s authorization for the state to act the region after the agency is cleaning a qualified probe to act in a possible exploitation.
