Petrobras has a loss of R$ 150 million every year with fuel theft

BRL 150 million in losses every year. This is the amount lost by Petrobras due to the action of criminal groups against oil and derivatives transport pipelines.

Bandits discovered that the irregular sale of fuel is a good business, especially in periods when prices are higher and the economy is in recession. Most of the time, the focus of the bandits is crude oil, but there are also thefts of derivatives, such as gasoline, diesel oil and even petrochemical naphtha, which, mixed with automotive fuel, tends to end up at retail stations and in the tanks of vehicles. cars.

The action of criminal groups in oil and derivatives transport pipelines already causes losses of R$ 150 million to Petrobras per year. In 2018, there were 261 attempts and actual episodes of theft. Most thefts are in the states of São Paulo (151) and Rio de Janeiro (69).

The problem arrived at Guarulhos International Airport, in São Paulo, which often has the delivery of aviation fuel interrupted because Transpetro, a subsidiary of Petrobras that operates the pipelines, is forced to paralyze the activity of pipelines where criminals acted.

The state-owned company is concerned about the effects of the leaks in the communities that have settled close to the pipelines, say the sources. At the end of last month, a 9-year-old child died in Duque de Caxias, in Baixada Fluminense, after falling into a puddle of pure gasoline that escaped from a perforated pipeline.

The company's fear is that fatalities like this will be repeated and take on larger proportions, putting entire communities at risk.

In addition to financial losses and fatalities, the company also wants to avoid the repetition of the violence experienced in Mexico in the country, where theft in pipelines motivates murders and imposes annual costs of around US$ 1,5 billion on the oil company Pemex.

To reduce the damage, Petrobras is going to launch the Pró-Dutos intelligence and security program. The idea is to develop a partnership with state governments to combat the theft of oil and derivatives in their transport networks.

The president of Petrobras, Roberto Castello Branco, will be present, today, at 10:XNUMX am, at the launch ceremony of the Integrated Petrobras Pipeline Protection Program (Pró-Dutos) which brings together the Federal Police, MP and other entities. The agreement will be signed with the governments of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

“During the event, protocols of intent will be signed with state governments for cooperation in the fields of intelligence and security to minimize the risks and impacts of theft of products transported through the pipelines,” the company said in a note. The launch will take place at Petrobras headquarters, in downtown Rio.

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