Ibama authorizes Petrobras' simulation in the Equatorial Margin and sets a date for evaluation.

247 - The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) confirmed, this Wednesday (13), that the Pre-Operational Assessment (APO) phase for a possible well drilling at the mouth of the Amazon River, on the Equatorial Margin, will take place on August 24. The information was published by the newspaper Valor Econômico, who interviewed the head of the agency, Rodrigo Agostinho. This stage is considered the final step in the environmental licensing process and will give Petrobras the opportunity to demonstrate, in practice, its capacity to respond in the event of an accident.

According to a statement from Ibama, the APO (Preliminary Posture Assessment) will last three to four days, but this may vary depending on the conditions under which the activities are carried out. "During the APO, the effectiveness of the proposed Individual Emergency Plan will be verified through simulations. These simulations will test, in practice, the response capacity in case of oil spill accidents, including the efficiency of equipment, the speed of response, compliance with the planned response times for wildlife, and communication with authorities and stakeholders," the agency stated.

Augustine highlighted to Price The operation is complex and requires meticulous planning: “The APO is confirmed. Our team reviewed the checklist with Petrobras and everything is ready for the simulation. It's a war-like operation that needed to be very well planned.” The president of Ibama recalled that, in July, there was an inspection in the region after the state-owned company set up a large structure there. He also highlighted the logistical challenges, since the support base is located in Oiapoque (AP), a small municipality that will need to receive a large contingent of technicians from Petrobras, Ibama, and outsourced companies. “For the last APO we did, in Rio Grande do Norte, there were 1 people,” he stated.

Petrobras' Exploration and Production Director, Sylvia Anjos, said on Tuesday (12) that if the APO is successful and the environmental license is released, the concession process should not be delayed. She cited as an example the APO carried out for a marine well in the Potiguar Basin, also on the Equatorial Margin, whose authorization from Ibama was granted quickly.

The Preliminary Oil Spill Assessment (APO) functions as an oil spill simulation, allowing IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) to evaluate in the field the application of conceptual plans already presented by the oil company, such as the Individual Emergency Plan (PEI) and the Wildlife Protection Plan (PPAF), both conceptually approved. The licensing for drilling in the Amazon River mouth had been denied in May 2023, but Petrobras appealed. In October, a technical report recommended another rejection, but IBAMA's board opted to grant an additional period for clarifications before making a final decision.

Petrobras' NS-42 drillship is designated to carry out the drilling, should the license be granted. The expectation is that, with APO approval, the state-owned company will be closer to starting operations in the Equatorial Margin, an area considered strategic for expanding oil production in the country.