In The Energy Industry, Petrobrás And 3R Petroleum Are Leading A Strategic Partnership Aimed At Boosting The Natural Gas Market In Brazil.
The agreement, publicly revealed this week, will allow for the sharing of processing infrastructure at the Cacimbas Natural Gas Treatment Unit – UTGC, located in the municipality of Linhares, in Espírito Santo. In this way, Petrobrás opens its doors for 3R Petroleum to sell the volumes of natural gas produced in its field, located in the Espírito Santo Basin.
Expansion of Processing Infrastructure:
With this initiative, Petrobrás establishes valid access contracts across all processing units where companies have expressed interest. These contracts, which have been made over the past few years, allow for the sharing of processing capacity in various units spread across the country, such as UTG-Catu (BA), UTGCA (SP), UTGCAB (RJ), and UTGC-Cacimbas (ES). Only UTG Sul, located in Anchieta, also in Espírito Santo, does not yet have a sharing contract due to the lack of expression of interest.
Currently, Petrobrás provides access to processing infrastructure with a total capacity of over 60 million m³/day. However, the Company does not intend to stop there: it continues to invest in new infrastructures, which will add a capacity of up to 21 million m³/day for the processing of domestic gas with the launch of the Integrated Project Rota 3, scheduled for next year. It is important to emphasize that this project already has signed processing contracts.
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Advantages and Opportunities for the Sector:
This partnership between Petrobrás and 3R Petroleum is beneficial for both the companies involved and the energy market in general. By opening these facilities to other companies, there is an incentive for competition, resulting in greater diversification of the agents operating in the sector and, consequently, a reduction in Petrobrás’s participation across all links in the natural gas chain.
By becoming a gas processor for third parties, Petrobrás assumes a new role that brings promising perspectives for the Company and for the effective opening of the natural gas market in Brazil. The initiative allows potentially interested agents to contract processing capacity, thereby boosting the country’s production and ensuring the continued development of the national industry.
Business Model and Processing Contract:
The contracting of these operations will take place through the execution of a natural gas processing contract, offering firm (in available capacity) or interruptible (in idle capacity) modalities at the processing plants of interest. It is worth noting that the remuneration for access to processing will be negotiated between Petrobrás and the potential contractor, considering the quality of natural gas and the contracting curve.

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