FUP and Anapetro File Action in TCU Against Petrobras for Irregularities in FPSO Platforms Contracting

The Hiring Process of Petrobras FPSO Platforms for the Búzios Field Is Still Causing Conflicts in the National Oil and Gas Sector and the FUP, with Anapetro, Have Filed a Lawsuit in the TCU Against the State-Owned Company.

During last Friday, (08/26), the National Association of Minority Shareholder Petroleum Workers of Petrobras (Anapetro), with the support of the United Federation of Oil Workers (FUP), filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) against Petrobras. The associations claim that the hiring of FPSO platforms for the Búzios Field has a series of irregularities, mainly regarding the victory of the company Keppel in the bidding process for the contract.

TCU Received a Lawsuit Against Petrobras Filed by Anapetro and FUP, Who Request an Investigation into the FPSO Platforms Hiring Process

The national oil and natural gas sector continues to go through a series of conflicts as Petrobras proceeds with the hiring process for two FPSO platforms, with an intention for a third, for its operations in the Búzios Field, located in the pre-salt layer of the Santos Basin.

This is because sector agencies are accusing the state-owned company of irregularities in the bidding process, mainly concerning Keppel, which won the bid with almost no competition.

Thus, FUP and Anapetro, which have been opposing the hiring of the platforms, have opened a case in the TCU against the continuation of the bidding process by Petrobras. The main objective of both organizations with the newly filed action against the Brazilian state company is to initiate an investigation into possible irregularities in the bidding for the hiring of the P-80, P-82, P-83 platforms, aiming to ensure more transparency, security, and of course, legality in the process of hiring the FPSOs. 

The agreement for the hiring of the FPSO platforms was signed on the last 15th of this month with the company Keppel Shipyard Limited, from Singapore, but has brought a series of problems to the state-owned company.

This is because companies from the same economic group — Keppel Shipyard and Sembcorp Marine, which underwent a merger operation completed last April — were the only ones to submit proposals in the bids.

Although the bidding process may seem secure, Anapetro and FUP are now pursuing their actions against the sale while it still awaits approval from competent bodies.

Anapetro and FUP Request Suspension of Negotiations for the Hiring of FPSO Platforms While the Lawsuit Against the State-Owned Company Is Investigated

In their action submitted to the TCU with FUP, Anapetro requests the competent body to suspend all negotiations of the hiring process for the FPSO platforms with Keppel while the action is being investigated by the agency.

Additionally, the association requests documents and reports from the state-owned company’s bidding commission and the technical and economic feasibility studies conducted by the Exploration and Production (E&P) area of the company, to ensure more transparency in the process.

Another point raised in the lawsuit by FUP and Anapetro is the forwarding of the action to the Public Ministry in cases of identifying irregularities in the hiring of the FPSOs with Keppel.

Finally, the action requests that measures be taken against Petrobras for the lack of competition and a possible parallel arrangement in the hiring of both platforms for the Búzios Field.

“The goal is to eliminate suspicions of bidding fraud, resulting from price-fixing and cover-up practices. We need to know what led Petrobras to settle on this price and what the justification is for hiring everything from the same economic group. Why validate a bidding process in which only companies from the same economic group participated?” asks FUP’s General Coordinator, Deyvid Bacelar.