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TCU Audit Points To Potential Loss Of R$ 10 Trillion Due To Decline In Oil And Gas Exploration Areas, Urging Urgent Measures From The Ministries Of The Environment And Mines And Energy.
The Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) has issued a strong warning to the federal government regarding the paralysis in the offering of new areas for the exploration of oil and natural gas in the country. According to an operational audit, the lack of governance and administrative barriers could lead to an estimated loss of R$ 10 trillion, with R$ 7 trillion related to losses of direct investments in the sector.
The survey, conducted by the Specialized Audit Unit for Oil, Natural Gas, and Mining (AudPetróleo), indicates that the reduction in the offering of exploratory blocks is not linked to an energy transition policy, but rather to administrative inertia and a lack of coordination among federal agencies.
Failures In Public Management And Environmental Barriers Hinder The Advancement Of The Oil Sector
According to the report, two main factors explain the delay in the release of new areas: the ineffectiveness of Environmental Assessments of Sedimentary Areas (AAAS) and the slowness in issuing Joint Manifestations (MCs) — documents issued jointly by the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) and the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA), necessary before the authorization of new exploratory blocks.
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These bottlenecks have compromised the pace of bidding and investments in oil and gas, threatening not only national energy security but also long-term fiscal sustainability. TCU assesses that the absence of new offering rounds may jeopardize the collection of royalties, taxes, and government participations.
During the case analysis, the reporting minister Jhonatan de Jesus emphasized that the oil and gas sector is “a fundamental pillar of the national economy,” accounting for about 17% of the industrial GDP of the last decade.
For him, it is urgent to balance the use of petroleum resources with decarbonization goals.
“Exploration and energy transition are not exclusive objectives, but complementary challenges that require coordinated governance and sophisticated state planning,” highlighted the minister.
The reporter also recalled that oil exploration projects have long-term maturation and demand regulatory stability to ensure predictability for investors.
TCU Demands Urgent Measures And Deadlines For The Resumption Of Oil And Gas Exploration
In light of the critical scenario, the TCU determined that the MME and MMA, with the support of the Office of the Presidency, install within 30 days the inter-ministerial committee provided for in Ordinance 198/2012, responsible for coordinating the AAAS.
Furthermore, the court set a deadline of 120 days for the ministries to complete the pending studies of the Solimões and Sergipe-Alagoas/Jacuípe basins, considered essential to unlock new authorizations. The actions must be based on technical opinions and follow the principles of reasonableness and efficiency.
Court Recommends Integration Among Agencies To Accelerate Releases
The approved decision also recommended the creation of integrated administrative routines among the MME, MMA, and the National Agency of Petroleum (ANP), with the aim of speeding up the issuance of the joint manifestations required by Ordinance 1/2022.
The TCU also suggested that simple processes, such as renewals of authorizations and already explored areas, be prioritized, avoiding unnecessary delays and billion-dollar losses.
The document reinforces that the non-compliance with legal deadlines has caused bottlenecking of exploratory blocks, directly impacting production potential and the attraction of new investments in the oil sector.
TCU Oversight Has Already Led To Recent Advances In The Release Of Blocks
Despite the pointed failures, the court highlighted that its recent actions have already begun to take effect. Between the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, eight new joint manifestations were issued, partially reducing the risk of halting exploration activities in the short term.
These actions, although sporadic, indicate a restarting of inter-ministerial coordination, essential to ensure that Brazil remains competitive in the global oil market, especially in a context of uneven energy transition among producing countries.
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