The former Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez, marked by Lava Jato, return to the public projects scene with large contracts with Petrobras

Ten years after the beginning of Operation Lava Jato, the construction companies Andrade Gutierrez and Novonor, formerly known as Odebrecht, are once again highlighted in the market after being chosen as the winners of a tender for the expansion work at the Abreu e Lima Refinery (Rnest), from Petrobras. This project, located in Pernambuco, was target of corruption scandals exposed by Lava Jato and now marks a new chapter with billion-dollar investments, according to the Jornal Opção website.

After a period of restructuring and facing difficulties, companies beat the competition for the different lots of the Petrobras refinery project. Consag, a subsidiary of Andrade Gutierrez, received lots A and B, totaling around R$3,9 billion. Meanwhile, Tenenge, a Novonor company, formerly Odebrecht, was chosen for the other lots, with a value exceeding R$8 billion. This achievement by the former Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez represents a important milestone for construction companies, which seek to regain its position in the market after the challenges faced in recent years.

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Expansion of the Petrobras refinery by the former Odebrecht and Andrade Gutierrez

Petrobras' Abreu e Lima Refinery will undergo a significant expansion, including the construction of a second production unit. With this expansion, the refinery's S10 diesel production capacity will increase from 100 thousand to 260 thousand barrels per day, contributing to fuel self-sufficiency in the country.

Both companies have faced difficult times recently. The former Odebrecht even entered into judicial recovery process, while Andrade Gutierrez underwent a restructuring process to maintain its competitiveness. The return of these companies (Novonor and Andrade Gutierrez) to public projects marks a turning point and demonstrates the market's confidence in its capabilities following the Lava Jato corruption scandals.

With construction scheduled to begin in the second half of this year, the expectation is that Petrobras' Abreu e Lima Refinery will become one of the main pillars of the national production of S10 diesel, contributing to the country's economy and its energy independence.