Rapporteur of the Energy Transition Acceleration Program in Casa Alta included measures to decentralize the gas market
This Monday (November 11, 2024) he released a note in which he states that he is in favor of approving the (Energy Transition Acceleration Program) with the mechanism that requires not to buy natural gas from third parties and only sell its production. Read the press release (PDF – 59 kB).
According to the minister, the measure will diversify natural gas suppliers for the Brazilian industry and encourage competitiveness in the sector to lower prices. The devices to open this market were inserted by the senator (PP-SE). The project is in the Upper House and, if approved, will return to the Chamber of Deputies.
“The measures proposed by Senator Laércio Oliveira are in line with the guidelines we have already adopted in Gás Para Empregar, a program that is democratizing access to natural gas, boosting industrial development in Brazil and generating jobs for the population. Our country cannot give up its energy sovereignty. We must safely, adequately and sustainably explore all of our potential, ensuring a balanced and competitive market and a population with more employment and income opportunities. Therefore, this project meets the government’s main purpose, which is to generate economic development with social fruits”wrote Silveira.
The gas release (compulsory natural gas sale program) is the main device introduced by Láercio Oliveira in Paten. The proposal establishes guidelines for holding auctions with the aim of deconcentrating the supply of natural gas in Brazil. The text also wants to prohibit Petrobras from purchasing gas beyond its production, for example, Bolivian gas that arrives in the country via Gasbol (Bolivia-Brazil Gas Pipeline).
Petrobras is the biggest resistance to the device, as the gas release would force the state oil company to reduce its participation in the gas market. How the Poder360company executives met with the senator to find points of convergence in the report.
Here are the points supported by the Ministry of Mines and Energy in Paten:
- the agent that has a national market share greater than 50% will not be able to sign new contracts for the acquisition of gas from third parties, whether from national or foreign producers or traders;
- the agent that has a national market share of more than 50% must promote a reduction in the volumes of gas already contracted from third parties. The volume of gas purchased in the year the law was sanctioned must be adopted as a reference, and must be reduced by 20% each following year, so that, within a maximum period of 5 years, gas will no longer be purchased from other agents;
- If the reduction in the volume of third-party gas due to the end of a contract, assignment of a contract or cancellation does not reach the established limits, the excess volume must be offered to the market in the form of a compulsory sale auction, considering the weighted average of the contracts as a minimum value still in force;
- the measure restricting the contracting of new volumes does not apply to the import of LNG, through existing terminals or those being implemented, as there is already competition in this mode.
Paten’s approval in this configuration could be a major victory in capturing industry support. To the Poder360the coordinator of the Gas Forum, Lucien Belmonte, that a solution to the problem of supplying natural gas to the industry has been promised for decades and that if the president (PT) If you manage to implement structural changes in this sector, the industry will be grateful.
