Jean Paul Prates spoke to CNN about the prospect of oil production in Foz do Amazonas in 2024, with local economic and environmental benefits.
The president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates, highlighted, in an exclusive interview with CNN, the importance of allocating part of the resources obtained from oil royalties to the Amazon.
Prates emphasized that it is essential to consider a bill and local government initiatives in regulating use of this resource, aiming to transform it into sustainable economic activities in the Amazon region.
‘It’s fair that the government holdings paid for oil production and exploration are directed to benefit the Amazonians’, stated the president. He also highlighted the responsibility of leaders to take care of and ensure that these resources are used appropriately in the region.
Oil in the Amazon: President of Petrobras defends the search for oil in AP | CNN PRIME TIME
According to a Petrobras representative, there is already a group of parliamentarians dealing with the issue of oil exploration: 'This debate exists, it is being discussed among parliamentarians, especially Senator Eliziane [Gama (PSD-MA)], from Maranhão, Senator Randolfe [Rodrigues (Rede-AP)], and others, they spoke with we, we even helped to encourage this debate process in this and, of course, they, as parliamentarians, will take charge of this debate there, bringing a legislative proposal that limits a piece of this resource, whether via the Amazon fund or via other items.’
Oil in the Amazon: President of Petrobras expresses his expectations about exploration in Foz do Amazonas
He said that the drilling from the well in Foz do Amazonas occurs in the second half of 2024. 'The expectation is in the first half of the year, after the first Potiguar well, to try to receive the license to drill Foz and return to drill the second well, or drill both wells and in the second half of the year that comes to pierce Foz do Amazonas', he declared.
Oil in the Amazon: President of Petrobras addresses the discovery process
An eventual actual exploration, however, according to him, should take years. ‘The probe is just for drilling, finding oil and leaving. And this takes 3 to 4 months. After finding this oil, if found, you will have an evaluation period that goes up to 180 days or more, half a year or more, evaluating that discovery, whether it is worth it or not,' he said.
Oil in the Amazon: President of Petrobras highlights the oil exploration development plan
‘Even so, you should still drill other wells, as is the case with Pitu that I just mentioned, to delimit the reservoir, as far as it goes. To know exactly how much reserve you have there and whether it is worth producing. Then one day comes the time when someone concludes that it is worth producing’, explained Jean Paul Prates.
Oil in the Amazon: President of Petrobras explains the energy transition
He points out the elements that, ultimately, will influence the decision on oil exploration in the region. ‘It is a political decision to produce where, when and what somewhere, when it comes to means natural resources granted by the government’, he assesses.
Oil in the Amazon: President of Petrobras talks about the economic and social benefit of exploration
‘It’s important to always remember, it’s not politics because it’s Lula or because it was another president, that’s not it’, he added. ‘It’s politics, because it’s national policy to define Brazil’s exploratory horizon. Do we want to produce more oil or do we still want to be producers and self-sufficient for the next 40 or 50 years, even with the downward curve? But do we want to own our own oil or do we want to risk having to import it? Do we want to have reserve expectation replacement like I'm talking about or don't we? This is a political decision.’
Oil in the Amazon: President of Petrobras considers exploration as a sectoral policy
He emphasizes that the decision to explore oil in the Amazon is a sectoral policy. Exploring for oil in Alaska was a political decision, he says.
But it is not politics in the sense of this political character, this party. That's why the answer has to be very specific. Politics, from the point of view of national energy policy. I want to produce oil or I don’t want to produce oil anymore, I want to import oil in 20 years.’
This week, CNN publishes the special series Petróleo na Amazonia. Check out the reports here.
Source: CNN Brazil
