Petrobras Reported This Tuesday, 02, That Petrogral Has Gained Access to Gas Processing Units in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo

The Contract of the Integrated Processing System Made by Petrobras Together with Petrogral for the Company’s Access to the Gas Units Is Now in Operation

Petrobras made it public this Tuesday, 2, that the contract for the Integrated Processing System (SIP) made alongside Petrogral Brazil is now operational. The contract made by the companies provides for Petrogral’s access to the two gas processing units, owned by Petrobras, which are located in the Caraguatatuba region, São Paulo, and Cabiúnas, Rio de Janeiro, after the unit in Itaboraí, also in Rio de Janeiro, which is still under construction.

The division of the infrastructure of Petrobras and Petrogral with representatives of the offshore gas pipelines from the pre-salt in the Santos basin was established about two years ago among Petrobras, Petrogral, Repsol Sinopec, and Shell. During the period the contract was signed, the Integrated Natural Gas Flow System (SIE) was also developed, which provides for the physical connection and division of the flow capacities on routes 1, 2, and 3, the last route being owned by Petrobras and currently under delayed construction.

Implementation of SIP by Petrobras and Petrogral Will Allow Gas Companies to Sell the Product Directly to Consumers

The implementation of the SIP made by Petrobras and Petrogral will allow gas-producing companies in Brazil to sell their volumes directly to their customers. This initiative is part of a set of measures that enable the diversification of agents, resulting in an increase in competition and demand and a reduction in Petrobras’s participation across all segments of the natural gas chain, in compliance with the commitments made alongside the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) in 2019.

“The start of operations under the Petrogral contract is a milestone in the opening of Brazil’s natural gas market and demonstrates the commitment of the partners and other involved agents (such as MME and ANP) to contribute to the development of a competitive and sustainable market in the country. In the future, other natural gas producing companies may join the SIP”, said Petrobras, which signed an agreement with Petrogral.

With the Increased Demand for Natural Gas as Fuel, Paulo Câmara Authorized an Increase in Gas Prices by Copergás

In light of the reduction in fuel prices by the Federal Government, Copergás, the state gas company controlled by the State Government, raised tariffs in Pernambuco. According to the Official Gazette on Saturday, 30, it was reported that the Pernambuco Regulatory Agency (ARPE) authorized the state company Copergás to raise the prices of the natural gas supplied by it.

On Tuesday, the State government blamed Petrobras for the increase in the prices of gas supplied by Copergás. The State, in a note sent to media outlets also on Tuesday, 2, stated that it is only passing on the increases made by Petrobras.

The increase authorized and validated by Petrobras, which was requested by the State Government through Copergás, will be 8.59% (eight whole and fifty-nine hundredths percent) for the natural gas supplied by Copergás.

Copergás stated that it sent a letter to Petrobras on July 15, requesting an increase in the gas supplied by it, and the increase was justified, according to the act, by the “Recomposition of the Average Operational Tariff of the Pernambuco Gas Company, Copergás, due to the increase in the Selling Prices of Natural Gas Suppliers”. The authorization for the gas price increase took effect starting Saturday, 30.