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In anticipation of possible environmental disasters, Petrobras is stepping up training in the far north of Brazil, preparing teams to rescue wildlife threatened by oil spills in the sensitive Foz do Amazonas region.
Petrobras has started field training in the Oiapoque region (AP), preparing technicians for the rescue and transportation of animals that may be affected by oil in possible incidents during oil prospecting in block FZA-M-59, on the Brazilian equatorial margin.
The information is from the newspaper Folha de S. Paul, which revealed that these practical exercises include moving through muddy areas, using floating mats to access difficult-to-reach mangrove regions.
The activities take place even before the environmental license is granted for drilling the well in the Foz do Amazonas basin, located 160 km off the coast of Amapá.
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The president Squid (PT) has been pushing for the release of the license, with the support of political figures such as the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira (PSD), and senators Davi Alcolumbre (União Brasil-AP) and Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP).
Advance preparation and infrastructure
According to the newspaper, in addition to training, Petrobras adapted vessels to collect animals that could be impacted by oil, should a leak occur on the platform.
An agreement is under negotiation so that larger vessels, within the fauna protection plan, will be anchored at facilities of the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
In a statement, Ibama reported that the boats intended to assist the oiled fauna were presented as part of the emergency response structure and are under technical analysis.
The environmental agency clarified that it does not monitor “parallel activities of the entrepreneur”.
The state-owned company announced that the animal shelter in Oiapoque will operate in “synergy” with the fauna de-oiling center in Belém.
“In total, there will be more than one hundred professionals dedicated to animal protection,” Petrobras said. The company expressed optimism about obtaining the license for deepwater drilling in Amapá, highlighting that “it will be possible to carry out the pre-operational assessment and, soon, obtain the license.”
Ecological sensitivity and social impacts
The Oiapoque region is home to the Cabo Orange National Park, an area of mangroves and forests that serves as a nursery for several species and supports thousands of fishermen.
Managed by ICMBio, the park extends over 590 km of coastline and is close to the block that Petrobras intends to drill.
In addition to the presence of the vessels, according to Folha, Petrobras is building an animal stabilization and de-oiling unit in Oiapoque, on BR-156.
The construction license was granted in December by the Environment Secretariat of the Amapá government, and the works are progressing rapidly, with completion scheduled for this semester.
This center will have the capacity to care for birds, reptiles and marine mammals, such as cetaceans up to three meters long and manatees, according to information from Petrobras.
After completion and operationalization, the center will undergo inspection by Ibama, as part of the evaluation of the emergency response structure for the activity.
The training, vessels and construction of the animal rehabilitation center are under the responsibility of the company contracted by Petrobras, Mineral Engenharia e Meio Ambiente, responsible for executing the fauna protection plan required by Ibama during the licensing process.
Movements in the local community
Petrobras' presence in Oiapoque, even before the license was granted, has generated expectations in the local community.
There are reports of an increase in migratory flows to the city, with people from different parts of the country, especially the North region, moving to Oiapoque in search of opportunities.
In July of last year, the Folha de S. Paul visited the region and observed a growth in occupations along the roads leading to the city's airport, such as the areas known as Areia Branca and Nova Conquista.
Currently, other occupations are expanding, advancing through forest areas and connecting to existing neighborhoods, such as Belo Monte and Novo Canaã, according to professionals who monitor the movements resulting from oil activities.
Ibama stated that “the studies presented by Petrobras did not foresee this type of impact” and highlighted that territorial management and land occupation are not the responsibility of the environmental licensing of the activity in question, with the municipality and the state being responsible for monitoring any irregular occupations in their territory.
Challenges and concerns of indigenous communities
Outside the urban environment, indigenous leaders in the region report pressure from Petrobras for the project to be accepted by the communities.
The tidal cycles influence the lives of many of the 12 indigenous people, from four ethnic groups, who live in three demarcated territories in the Oiapoque region.
These indigenous people claim that there was no consultation process with the communities, which total 66 villages in total.
The models presented by Petrobras indicate that, in the event of a leak, the oil would not reach the Brazilian coast, but could affect the coast of eight countries and two French territories neighboring Brazil and in the Caribbean.
In the animal monitoring and rescue plan submitted to Ibama in November, the state-owned company states: “Conservatively and in light of the ecological sensitivity of the Cabo Orange National Park, coastal monitoring actions are also planned in its northern portion, close to the mouth of the Oiapoque River, in Oiapoque (AP)”.
The response structure, in case of an oil spill, will include a helicopter available for emergencies, as well as a containment system with barriers and support vessels that can be activated quickly.
However, environmentalists and researchers warn that, given the complexity of the region's Amazonian and coastal ecosystems, any incident could have severe and irreversible impacts.
Today, the Petrobras project continues to generate debates between economic development and environmental risks, while Oiapoque becomes a key point for the future of oil exploration on the Brazilian equatorial margin.
