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There Has Never Been So Many Accidents in Oil Exploration in Brazil! In 2024, the Country Registered 731 Occurrences, A Historic Record. Leaks, Explosions, and Environmental Risks Raise Alert. Ibama and ANP Demand More Safety, While the Government Pressures for New Licenses.
Offshore oil exploration in Brazil has become increasingly risky.
In 2024, Brazil reached a historic record of accidents related to offshore oil exploration since the beginning of the historical record series in 2011.
The data from the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) reveals that, last year, there were 731 registered accidents during oil exploration, which averages to two incidents per day.
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These concerning numbers represent a significant increase compared to 2023, when there were 718 accidents, and compared to 2022, with 598 occurrences.
The issue of safety in oil operations has been a constant concern in discussions about licensing and exploration in sensitive areas, such as the Amazon River Mouth, a basin located in the equatorial margin region.
According to Folha, the federal government has faced political pressure while trying to expedite the licensing process, which has generated criticism about the safety of operations.
The accidents recorded in 2024 occurred mainly during the production installation phase, with 384 occurrences.
Another 134 accidents happened in drilling installations, while support vessel activities and the well exploration phase each accounted for 91 incidents.
The installation of subsea systems had 23 records, and another 8 accidents were not classified regarding their origin.
These numbers suggest that safety in the early stages of operation, especially during installation and drilling phases, is a critical point that requires immediate attention.
In addition to the confirmed accidents, the ANP also recorded 1,375 situations of “near accidents” in 2024, a significant increase compared to 970 cases in 2022.
These incidents did not result in material or environmental damage but represented imminent risk situations that could have led to serious consequences.
Block 59 of the Amazon River Mouth and Licensing Difficulties
The licensing issue for Block 59 of the Amazon River Mouth, which has already been auctioned, has been one of the major challenges.
Ibama, responsible for environmental oversight, rejected safety measures presented by Petrobras three times, the operator of the block, to prevent accidents and to react to possible emergencies.
Petrobras, in turn, has pressed for the process to be expedited, and the company’s president, Magda Chambriard, stated that she expects to complete the construction of an animal rehabilitation center in Oiapoque (AP) as part of the requirements for license release.
The center, which is expected to cost around R$ 150 million, is considered one of the last barriers for Petrobras to start drilling wells in the block.
The planned structure for well drilling is unprecedented in terms of safety in the global industry, according to Chambriard.
However, the approval of safety measures remains pending, leaving the operation still in a legal and environmental limbo.
What Characterizes Accidents in Oil Exploration?
The majority of accidents in oil exploration in Brazil are limited to technical records since operations are quickly controlled by safety protocols.
Oil leaks, for instance, are often contained before reaching the environment, and fire principles are extinguished without significant damage.
However, in some cases, the situation spirals out of control, as in the case of the oil spill in Guanabara Bay in January 2000.
At that time, a Petrobras pipeline ruptured, releasing about 1.3 million liters of oil into the bay, affecting over 50 km² of mangroves and various marine and coastal species.
This accident was one of the largest oil spills in Brazil’s history, severely impacting the environment and causing significant damage to local flora and fauna.
Another notorious case occurred in 2001 when the P-36 platform, the largest semisubmersible platform in the world at the time, sank after explosions in its structure. The accident resulted in the deaths of 11 workers and triggered a series of investigations into the operational safety failures that led to the tragedy.
Recent Accidents and the Evolution of Safety
In recent years, the number of accidents and incidents in Brazil has increased, although the evolution of technology and safety practices has helped to mitigate risks.
Between 2011 and 2012, for example, the Frade field, operated by Chevron, suffered a leak of approximately 3,700 barrels of oil.
In 2019, oil stains affected over 2,000 km of the Brazilian coastline, with investigations indicating that the leak came from an oil tanker about 730 km from the Brazilian coast.
The incident highlighted the complexity of monitoring and controlling oil leaks over great distances at sea.
In January 2022, the FPSO Cidade de Anchieta, operating off the coast of Espírito Santo, also suffered a leak of 158.3 cubic meters of oil, raising more concerns about the effectiveness of containment systems and the safety of offshore drilling operations.
ANP and Operational Safety Oversight
The ANP, in an official statement, explained that the increase in the number of accidents can be attributed to the intensification of oil exploration activities in the country, with the entry of several production units and the resumption of drilling new wells.
Between 2012 and 2019, the number of active offshore drilling rigs in Brazil fell from 204 to 44, but since then, this number has been growing, with 80 rigs operating by 2023.
Oil production has also seen significant growth, increasing from 1,890 barrels per day in 2012 to 3,320 barrels per day in 2024.
However, the hours worked on production platforms do not follow a consistent trend.
In 2012, there were 36 million hours of work on platforms, while in 2018, this number peaked at 56 million hours.
However, the number of hours worked fell in the following two years, but it grew again, reaching 50 million hours worked in 2023.
Safety Oversight and the Evolution of Practices
Despite the alarming accident figures, the ANP emphasizes that it is constantly overseeing exploration operations and has demanded the best safety practices from operators in the sector over the years.
Regulation and rigorous oversight are viewed as essential tools for improving safety in operations and preventing more serious accidents.
The Future of Oil Exploration in Brazil
The increase in recorded accidents reflects the intensified operations in the oil sector, but it also points to the need for more investments in safety and technologies to mitigate risks.
Brazil continues to be one of the largest producers of offshore oil, and authorities must balance sector growth with environmental preservation and worker safety.
By 2025, the expectation is that the number of rigs and hours worked will continue to grow, as will oil production. The challenge will be to ensure that expansion does not increase the risks of new accidents while preserving the environment and human life.
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