Brazil should not be "ashamed" of being an oil producer, says Silveira.
The minister reiterated his support for oil exploration in the Equatorial Margin and denied that Ibama (the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) is being pressured to license the project.
247 - Minister Alexandre Silveira, of Mines and Energy, again defended, this Tuesday (18), the exploration of oil in the Equatorial Margin, saying that Brazil should not be “ashamed” of being a fossil fuel producing country. The information is from Valor Econômico.
In an interview with journalists after the meeting of the National Council for Energy Policy (CNPE), Silveira stated that the continued production of oil remains strategic for generating wealth for the country. "Regarding the Equatorial Margin, not knowing our potential is insane," he commented.
According to the minister, the Brazilian Institute of the Environment (Ibama) needs to release the research that will assess the economic viability of the oil reserves and determine the necessary measures to guarantee the environmental safety of the activity, allowing the project to move forward. Silveira also emphasized that the environmental agency is not being pressured to license the undertaking.
