Petrobras Unit Renders Small Town One of the Most Polluted

Written by Alisson Ficher

Published on 09/12/2024 at 18:06

Updated on 09/12/2024 at 18:07

Paulínia lidera emissões de gases estufa no interior de SP, impulsionada pela refinaria da Petrobras. Empresa promete cortar emissões até 2050.

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City Highlights Alarming Greenhouse Gas Emissions In SP, Result Of The Operations Of The Largest Refinery Of Petrobras. The Company Promised To Cut Emissions And Invest Billions In Sustainability By 2050, But Will It Be Enough To Contain The Advance Of Climate Change?

Paulínia, an industrial city located in the interior of São Paulo, is again in the spotlight of environmental rankings.

The reason, however, is far from positive. Known for housing the largest refinery of Petrobras in Brazil, the Paulínia Refinery (Replan), the city recorded a significant increase in greenhouse gas emissions in 2023.

According to data from the Greenhouse Gas Emission Estimates System (SEEG), linked to the Climate Observatory, Paulínia was the third largest emitter of polluting gases in the state of São Paulo, releasing 4.51 million tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) into the atmosphere.

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Understand The Main Sources Of Emissions

The emissions in Paulínia are generated primarily from two processes at the refinery.

The first is the burning of fossil fuels used to maintain industrial operations, while the second involves gas leaks during the refining process.

According to Tsai, these leaks can occur both intentionally and accidentally.

To gauge the impact, the distribution of emissions in Paulínia in 2023 was as follows:

Oil Refining: 4,336,875 tCO2e
Transport: 688,201 tCO2e
Industry: 168,902 tCO2e
Electricity Generation: 121,792 tCO2e

These numbers highlight the weight of the petrochemical sector in the city’s negative environmental contribution.

However, despite the concerning scenario, a positive news emerged: the solid waste sector in Paulínia managed to capture 857,076 tCO2e of polluting gases, resulting in a 16% reduction of the city’s net emissions.

This reduction occurred due to the recovery of methane and biogas from the local landfill, which are reused for clean energy generation.

State Comparison: Paulínia Tops Emissions

The SEEG survey revealed that Paulínia was only behind the cities of São Paulo and Guarulhos in greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

Check the ranking of the six most polluting cities in São Paulo in 2023:

São Paulo: 14,472,375 tCO2e
Guarulhos: 4,750,934 tCO2e
Paulínia: 4,513,377 tCO2e
São José dos Campos: 3,725,161 tCO2e
Campinas: 2,934,902 tCO2e
Cubatão: 2,828,911 tCO2e

Paulínia’s prominent position in the ranking raises an alert about the environmental impact generated by industrial activity in the city, especially due to the Paulínia Refinery, whose production accounts for a significant part of the national fuel supply.

The Response From Petrobras

In a statement sent to the G1 portal, Petrobras acknowledged its environmental responsibility and emphasized that it has been taking measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its operations.

The company stated that between 2015 and 2023, it managed to reduce its operational emissions from 78 million to 46 million tons of CO2, equivalent to three times the emissions of the commercial aviation sector in Brazil.

“Methane emissions were reduced by 70% in the same period. Petrobras is committed to neutralizing its net emissions by 2050, through sustainable initiatives and advanced technology for carbon capture and storage,” the company declared to the G1 portal.

Petrobras’ new strategic plan, covering the period from 2025 to 2029, foresees an investment of US$ 16.3 billion in projects aimed at energy transition and sustainability, a 42% increase compared to the previous plan.

The company also ensured that its Paulínia unit is among the most efficient in the world in terms of environmental performance and energy efficiency.

Environmental Challenges And Future Prospects

Despite the efforts announced by Petrobras, the environmental impact of Paulínia remains a constant concern.

The city’s challenge is immense: finding a balance between industrial development and environmental preservation.

“It is possible to grow without compromising the environment, but this requires robust investments and effective public policies,” observed an environmental specialist consulted by the G1 portal.

The city of Paulínia finds itself at the center of an environmental dilemma, with considerable responsibility given its strategic role in national fuel production.

The promise of carbon neutrality by 2050 and the billions announced in investments are important steps, but it remains to be seen whether concrete actions will accompany these commitments.

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Luiz Guedes

#93606

10/12/2024 21:42

Queria saber como a Petrobrás divulga que tem gasolina carbono zero com esses números.

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Ricardo SantAnna

#93604

10/12/2024 21:38

Claro que a atividade de refino polui. Mas, que deveria ser dado destaque foi a redução de 78 para 46 mtonCO2. Redução drástica.

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Silvio Ferreira

#93387

10/12/2024 12:23

Então este governo não é protetor d meio ambiente?

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Ricardo SantAnna

#93605

Reply to Silvio Ferreira

10/12/2024 21:40

Acorda Ferreira! Claro que esse Governo Federal quer a redução de poluição, destruição das matas e combate ao garimpo ilegal. Diferente do desgoverno anterior do ex-presidente inelegível.

-1

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Petrobras Unit Renders Small Town One of the Most Polluted

City Highlights Alarming Greenhouse Gas Emissions In SP, Result Of The Operations Of The Largest Refinery Of Petrobras. The Company Promised To Cut Emissions And Invest Billions In Sustainability By 2050, But Will It Be Enough To Contain The Advance Of Climate Change?

Understand The Main Sources Of Emissions

The Response From Petrobras

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Petrobras Unit Renders Small Town One of the Most Polluted

City Highlights Alarming Greenhouse Gas Emissions In SP, Result Of The Operations Of The Largest Refinery Of Petrobras. The Company Promised To Cut Emissions And Invest Billions In Sustainability By 2050, But Will It Be Enough To Contain The Advance Of Climate Change?

Understand The Main Sources Of Emissions

The Response From Petrobras

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Ethiopia has banned gasoline and diesel cars, placed over a hundred silent electric buses on the streets of Addis Ababa, and now aims for half a million electric vehicles by 2030, all powered by Africa’s largest dam and a courage that few countries have shown.

Egypt wants to draw 10 million cubic meters of water from the Nile per day into the desert, irrigate a new agricultural frontier, and build a city where there is currently only sand.

Norway is drilling 27 kilometers of rock 392 meters below the bottom of a fjord to build the world’s largest and deepest underwater road tunnel — when completed, a 21-hour journey will be reduced to 10.

An astronaut spent 340 days in space while his twin brother stayed on Earth, and NASA found a “rejuvenating” effect, genes, microbiome, cognition, and immune system that revealed the biological cost of living outside the planet.

Chinese engineers begin filling a 217-meter dam at an altitude of 3,000 meters and prepare a 2,240 MW hydroelectric power plant to integrate hydropower, solar, and wind energy in the upper Jinsha.

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