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Laércio Oliveira contests the company's decisions in the gas sector; Petrobras ensures commitment to investments in the state.
The senator Laercio Oliveira (PP/SE) announced that it plans to take legal action against the decisions of the Petrobras in the natural gas market. He intends to present the matter to the plenary session of the Federal Senate next week, with the aim of having the complaints officially forwarded to the Federal Audit Court (TCU) with the request for an audit of the hiring by Petrobras, for a period of ten years, at the terminal regasification of natural gas in Bahia.
The ANP is being asked to provide clarifications on compliance with the concession contract for fields in deep waters of Sergipe, which are predicted to become major natural gas producers in the future.
It is alleged that Cade should investigate whether Petrobras is interested in postponing the projects, initially scheduled for 2027-2028, in order to obtain higher natural gas prices.
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Petrobras denies rumors about postponement of projects
A Petrobras denied the information about the postponement of SEAL projects 1 and 2, confirmed again this Wednesday (15/11) in a statement to epbr. The company has faced challenges in hiring production units (FPSOs) over the last three years.
Laércio Oliveira suggested that the TCU carry out an audit to assess the need, economic viability and costs of the charter for 10 years of FRSU Sequoia from Petrobras. The TCU acts as a complementary body to the Federal Legislature.
In the month of October, the Petrobras contracted again the FSRU (floating regasification unit) from Excelerate, which is already operating at the Salvador terminal.
In the year of 2021, the Petrobras leased the terminal to Excelerate, in compliance with an agreement established with the Cade. This measure was intended to promote opening of the natural gas market, increasing competition in the product offering.
The unit of Sergipe, previously leased, is now under the control of the company after a ten-year agreement made with Excelerate, ensuring its continuity.
The senator argues that the terminal Sergipe, belonging to Eneva, could have been an option to meet the demand of Petrobras by imported natural gas, offering flexibility in supply.
The inclusion of Eneva's assets in discussions with Petrobras was an initiative of the state of Sergipe, with the aim of defending the interests of the region, according to information obtained by epbr.
Laércio Oliveira raised doubts about the long-term lease of Bahia, considering that the market foresees a significant increase in national gas production in the coming years, due to the Rota 3, Pão de Açúcar and Sergipe Deep waters. He questions the justification for this lease given this growth perspective.
In relation to this issue, the Petrobras chose not to comment due to the deadline stipulated by epbr. In the announcement of the contract with Excelerate, the company stated that the terminals in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro guarantee high levels of reliability and flexibility in the delivery of natural gas to its customers.
Petrobras plan for oil terminals is resumed
The decision of Petrobras of maintaining the Guanabara Bay and Salvador terminals, while leaving Ceará available for the Port of Pecém, was reaffirmed after being postponed due to the 2021 energy crisis. Furthermore, the unit scheduled to go to Santa Catarina signed a contract with NewFortress.
According to the senator's office, five official requests will be presented to the Federal Senate's board of directors next week.
Entities such as the Federal Audit Court (TCU) carry out audits on contracts signed by the Petrobras, as is the case with charter for 10 years from FRSU Sequoia to Olos technology Excelerate. Additionally, the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) investigates whether the company’s strategy Petrobras aims to manipulate natural gas prices in Brazil, taking into account the risk of postponing SEAL projects 1 and 2. Meanwhile, the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) is responsible for monitoring the concession contracts fields and get the project history and schedule Sergipe Águas Profundas, ensuring compliance with established obligations.
The Civil House, through the PPI, is responsible for coordinating the new PAC. As previously done, projects approved by the Petrobras in your business plan are integrated into the Growth Acceleration Program.
the deputy Laercio Oliveira is questioning the guarantees provided by Petrobras in relation to the deep water exploration project in Sergipe. He also criticizes the company's lack of alignment with the federal government, and demands clarification from the company itself. Petrobras.
According to the senator, the Petrobras is not aligned with the government's program, as evidenced in public conflicts with the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
After the inauguration of Alexandre Silveira (PSD) in January, the Ministry of Mines and Energy started the Gas to Employ program, which raised questions about the natural gas reinjection from Petrobras, claiming that this practice reduces the supply of energy and increases oil production.
Controversy over the Need for Reinjection in Oil Fields
There are debates surrounding the question of whether total reinjection is really indispensable to maintain the profitability of oil fields. EPBR did not seek additional clarification from Petrobras on this issue. For more details, check out our full coverage of the topic here.
On November 3, the president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates, refuted the veracity of a note published in Veja magazine's Radar. This publication claimed that there would be interest in postponing the SEAL to 2031, due to the entry of the BM-C-33 in 2028.
In a message published on the networks and sent to journalists, the director of Petrobras, Prates, stated that the company is dedicating all efforts to guarantee the execution of projects that will increase the supply of national gas on the market.
The company also highlighted that there are no plans to postpone the entry into operation of the project, reiterating its commitment to meeting the established deadlines.
This stance demonstrates the commitment of Petrobras in providing a greater supply of national gas, contributing to the development of the country's energy market.
In the period between 2021 and 2022, the Petrobras sought the hiring of P-81, its own unit to serve SEAL 1. However, there was a change in the company's strategy this year, resulting in the launch of a competition process for charter. This new plan ended up delaying the process by around three months, and the deadline for submitting proposals was extended until the beginning of 2024.
In general, a project of this type usually takes around three years, from contracting to production of the first oil. With the forecast of entry into operation in 2027, the expectation is that Sergipe start to have more significant volumes to be transported to the market from 2028 onwards.
The construction of the pipeline and the development of new oil fields will be essential to increase the profitability of the project in question.
A Petrobras reiterates that bidding processes are ongoing to ensure that the schedule is met and that operations begin as quickly as possible.
The company's business plan for the period 2024 to 2028 will be submitted for approval soon and released by the end of the month, in accordance with the current forecast.
Source: EPBR Agency
