Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
Arrival Of Natural Gas In Barcarena Is Celebrated By Politicians, But Residents And Experts Fear New Environmental Impacts.
At the beginning of this year (February 28), a delegation composed of important political figures celebrated the arrival of natural gas in Barcarena, Pará. Present were Governor Helder Barbalho, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, and the Mayor of Barcarena, Renato Ogawa. The event marked the inauguration of the first liquefied natural gas terminal (LNG) in the North region, promising a “new energy era” for the area.
New Natural Gas Project
The LNG terminal is just the beginning of natural gas-related projects in Barcarena.
A thermoelectric plant (UTE) is under construction with an initial capacity of 630 gigawatts (GW), expected to start operating in July 2025.
-
Petrobras evaluates suspension of sales to distributors and considers canceling the cooking gas auction following guidelines from the Federal Government.
-
Lula reveals a masterstroke by Petrobras to undo a deal made by Bolsonaro, which involves the return of an important refinery that currently produces less than half of what was expected and makes Brazil dependent on international diesel.
-
A study confirms that the natural gas sector will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil by 0.5% and accelerate the energy transition by 2026.
-
Petrobras implements a severe adjustment and confirms a 55% increase in the price of aviation kerosene with a proposal for installment payments for the companies.
There are expansion plans that could raise this capacity to 2.6 GW, making it the largest thermoelectric plant in Latin America.
The arrival of natural gas and the construction of the Novo Tempo UTE are viewed with concern by experts and local residents due to the socio-environmental history of Barcarena.
The city has suffered from 29 environmental accidents since the beginning of this century, including water and air contamination, and disasters such as the sinking of a ship carrying 5,000 live cattle.
Barcarena, neighboring Belém, which will host COP30, attracts investments in fossil fuels, contributing to global warming.
The construction of the UTE could worsen the socio-environmental impacts in an area already affected by frequent environmental disasters.
Federal prosecutor Igor Lima points out that the population is saturated with polluting enterprises and that there is a significant impact on fishing and the productive activities of local communities.
Since 2000, Barcarena has been the scene of several serious environmental accidents.
New Enterprises And Economic Interests
Centrais Elétricas Barcarena, a subsidiary of New Fortress Energy (NFE), is responsible for the UTE. NFE also owns a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) and pipelines for gas transportation.
Norsk Hydro, a Norwegian multinational, is the main interested party in natural gas to reduce emissions from its aluminum operations in Barcarena.
Governor Helder Barbalho celebrates the natural gas projects as a historic milestone, with plans to expand the use of fuel for vehicles and residences.
Gás do Pará, a public-private concessionaire, is responsible for the distribution of natural gas in the state.
The Novo Tempo UTE will require a large amount of water for cooling the turbines, utilizing 26.2 billion liters per year.
Barcarena already faces water stress, with frequent reports of water contamination. Studies have shown significant contamination in local water bodies.
Population On Alert For Natural Gas
Euniceia Fernandes Rodrigues, a community leader, reports that the river water is unfit for consumption, and contamination affects the health and livelihoods of communities.
The implementation of new enterprises without adequate impact control worries residents.
Since the 1980s, Barcarena has seen its population grow by over 500%, driven by the installation of industries.
The industrial district of Barcarena now houses nearly a hundred companies, with frequent occurrences of environmental accidents.
Environmental Licensing
Experts advocate for a joint environmental licensing process for the industrial district of Barcarena, considering the cumulative impacts of enterprises.
In 2016, a commitment term was signed to conduct this licensing, but it has yet to be completed.
The arrival of natural gas and the construction of the Novo Tempo UTE in Barcarena bring promises of a new energy era, but also raise significant concerns about environmental and social impacts in the region.
The local population, already affected by decades of environmental disasters, fears that new enterprises will exacerbate the situation.
Source: Agência Pública.
-
Uma pessoa reagiu a isso.