Ibama Is Being Petrobras’s “Stumbling Block”: The Much-Desired Oil Province in Ultra-Deep Waters of the Northeast, at the Mouth of the Amazon, May “Die Before It Is Born”

Ibama Can Deny Oil Exploration License for Petrobras on the Coast Between Amapá and Pará States, Billions in Investments and Royalties at Stake

The technical team of Ibama recommended the denial of the environmental license for Petrobras’ oil exploration in the Amazon River Mouth Basin, located on the coast between the Amapá and Pará states. The final decision rests with the institute’s president, Rodrigo Agostinho, while the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) continues to push for approval. The process, which has lasted nine years, is in one of the final stages before a decision.

Yes, this measure has been controversial and continues to resonate in the media, as reported by TV Cultura last year as well. Watch:

Inconsistencies in Environmental Impact Plans and Wildlife Protection

In the document revealed by the Sumaúma agency and obtained by Reset, Ibama’s technicians identify several inconsistencies in the environmental impact plan for the indigenous communities in the region.

They also highlight the lack of a comprehensive and multidisciplinary analysis of socio-environmental impacts and deficiencies in the wildlife protection plan.

The technical note was submitted on April 20 and signed by the ten members responsible for licensing, with the recommendation for denial corroborated by Ibama’s coordinators.

Internal Disagreements at Ibama Over the Decision

Despite the technical team’s recommendation, the alternate director of Environmental Licensing at Ibama, Régis Fontana Pinto, partially disagrees with the points made in an internal document.

He states that only the analysis of the wildlife protection plan falls within Ibama’s competencies for environmental licensing and could lead to the denial of the license.

According to Fontana, unanticipated environmental impacts for local indigenous communities and the absence of the Sedimentary Area Environmental Assessment (AAAS) would not be sufficient to prevent the granting of the license.

Implications of the License Denial for Petrobras and the Oil Sector

If the final decision is to deny the environmental license, Petrobras will face challenges in exploring oil in block 59, located about 160 km from Oiapoque, in Amapá. This decision could have significant impacts on the oil industry, given that exploration in the Amazon River Mouth is seen as one of the areas with the highest potential in the country.

Moreover, denying the license could reinforce the need to reassess and adjust environmental impact plans and wildlife protection measures to ensure the sustainability of oil exploration activities. This action could also set precedents for future decisions involving oil exploration in sensitive areas of Brazil.

The expectation is that Ibama’s president, Rodrigo Agostinho, will make the final decision soon, while the Ministry of Mines and Energy continues to press for license approval. Regardless of the outcome, the case of the Amazon River Mouth highlights the importance of an extensive and transparent debate about the environmental and social impacts of oil exploration in the country.