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Itaboraí Is Preparing to Be One of the Largest Natural Gas Hubs in the Pre-Salt Region of Brazil, Breaking Away from the Shadow of the Old Comperj and Putting Hope in a New Cycle of Investments
The announcement of Petrobras’ Strategic Plan – 2022-2026 – forecasting investments of around US$ 63 billion aimed at oil and gas exploration and production, with US$ 38.4 billion allocated exclusively for the Pre-Salt area, broadly confirmed the company’s recent options, prioritizing assets with high profitability over low-return initiatives. However, some considerations can be noted, such as the company’s decision to suspend the sale of the Abreu Lima Refinery (RNEST) and, at the same time, invest US$ 1.3 billion in the construction of the second phase of the project, increasing its refining capacity to 230 thousand bpd and improving the production of S.10 diesel, considered less polluting, to meet the requirements of regulatory bodies and modern engine consumption.
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We also noted the forecast of US$ 1 billion in funding for the GasLub Complex in Itaboraí, in areas of the old COMPERJ, with the aim of finishing the works of the Natural Gas Processing Unit (UPGN) and constructing the connections with the Duque de Caxias Refinery (REDUC), aimed at establishing high-quality lubricant production units. The new configuration proposed by Petrobras for the old COMPERJ is anchored in the operations of the UPGN, with the capacity to process 21 million cubic meters of natural gas per day, originating from the Santos Basin, and transported by the Rota 3 pipeline.
Furthermore, the company also transferred the territorial and environmental management of 40 million square meters to the state of Rio de Janeiro, occupying about 4,000 soccer fields, aiming to form the Industrial Condominium of Itaboraí, intended to house large and medium industrial and service establishments.
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The planned productive restructuring for the areas of the old COMPERJ is expected to contribute to the integration of sustainability and an energy transition, as natural gas is a less polluting input than oil and abundant due to the Pre-Salt reserves of the Santos Basin, although it presents a high level of CO2, which should motivate Research, Development, and Innovation (R&D&I) aiming at its reduction for industrial use.
Environmental Impacts
The dimension of sustainability is paramount, as the region underwent an intense process of degradation of natural resources, driven by large-scale earthworks that harmed biodiversity and, above all, the capacity to store local water resources, hindering the feasibility of large industrial plants in the Eastern Fluminense area.
According to the Chemical Products Industry Union for Industrial Purposes of the state of Rio de Janeiro (SIQUIRJ), the advent of GasLub represents the possibility of the noblest use for natural gas, which can be utilized in plants intended for the production of nitrogenous fertilizers, as the country imports about 80% of its needs, particularly from countries like Russia, China, Morocco, and the Middle East. In this sense, Brazil is contributing to job generation in global markets, outside its borders, while penalizing the generation of work and income for its large economically active population.
Due to the degradation of natural resources resulting in part from the magnitude of the earthworks of the old COMPERJ, Petrobras acknowledged the environmental liability represented by the halt of the project and, through a Conduct Adjustment Term (TAC), committed to the Public Ministry of the State of Rio de Janeiro (MPE-RJ) to restore, promote, and ensure the socio-environmental balance around the GasLub Complex. Thus, the company stimulated actions of planting and monitoring 466 hectares along the banks of the Macacu River in support of the project “Socio-environmental Responsibility Guapiaçu Grande Vida,” adding 260 hectares of replanting within the GasLub Complex. These actions were reported to the representatives of the State Environmental Institute (INEA) and the State Secretary of the Environment and Sustainability (SEAS).
We have observed that gradually the company is recovering and gaining certifications for good economic, social, and environmental practices, as in the case of returning to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, one of the most important financial performance indices for sustainability-leading companies worldwide. It is also important to note that Petrobras obtained 94% adherence to the indicators of the Brazilian Institute of Corporate Governance (IBGC) in 2021, and the fourth place by the Association for Supply Chain Management, an institution focused on adopting procedures for environmental, ethical, and economic excellence. The company’s inclusion in these excellence certifications can serve as leverage for implementing procedures based on sustainability in the construction of the GasLub Complex.
By Jacob Binsztok
Full Professor of Human Geography at the Graduate Programs in Geography and in Sustainable Systems Management at the Federal Fluminense University, PhD in Geography from USP, Coordinator of the Center for Agricultural and Environmental Studies and Research (NEPAM) of UFF, and researcher at CNPq and Faperj.
Email: jacob.binsztok@gmail.com
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