Lula and Magda Chambriard announce a R$ 33 billion investment in a refinery in Rio de Janeiro.

247 - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the president of Petrobras, Magda Chambriard, presented this Friday (4), at the Duque de Caxias Refinery (Reduc), the largest investment package in refining and petrochemicals ever announced for the state of Rio de Janeiro. 

The state-owned company will allocate more than R$ 33 billion by 2029, a resource that should boost the creation of 100 jobs when adding the 38 jobs directly linked to construction and the 70 related to the maintenance of industrial plants.

According to Magda Chambriard, this is a "megaproject" that puts Rio back at the center of the oil and gas value chain. "We are talking about a large, gigantic project that adds jobs and income to society," she stated, emphasizing that the initiative integrates Route 3 for natural gas transportation, the Boaventura Energy Complex (formerly Comperj), the Reduc refinery itself, and the Braskem unit in Duque de Caxias. "What we are seeing is a very large effort to make everything work out, to add value to our oil and to our people."

Capacity expansion and sustainable fuels

The largest portion of the package, R$ 26 billion, will be applied to the interconnection between Reduc and the Boaventura Complex. This move will allow for an increase in S10 diesel production of 76 barrels per day, the addition of 20 bpd of aviation kerosene and 12 bpd of lubricants produced from pre-salt oil, reducing dependence on imported oil. There will also be co-processing tests of R7 diesel, with 7% renewable content, and, as early as July, progress towards R10 diesel, with 10% green raw material.

“We can already market this less polluting diesel today,” highlighted the executive director of Industrial Processes and Products, William França. He explained that the National Petroleum Agency (ANP) has already authorized the sale of the product, anticipating Petrobras' entry into sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).

Braskem and the reduction of imports

The synergy with Braskem will increase polyethylene production by 230 tons/year and will require R$ 4,3 billion – an investment that will come from the petrochemical company's cash flow or financing. "I expect that in the first half of 2028 we will already be concluding this integration," said the company's president, Roberto Ramos. With this, Braskem intends to replace raw materials imported from the United States with Brazilian natural gas, strengthening the trade balance.

Thermal power plants and energy efficiency

The plan includes three 400 MW thermal power plants each, two of them in the Boaventura Complex, ready for the government's upcoming energy auctions. At Reduc, one of the two existing thermal plants will undergo an R$860 million modernization, doubling its capacity to 50 MW. "Reduc is an energy-intensive refinery," França pointed out. The planned general shutdown of the refinery, budgeted at R$2,4 billion, will mobilize 18 workers this year.

Socioeconomic impact

In addition to the Autonomy and Income Program, which will qualify the local workforce, the package includes studies to manufacture acetic acid and monoethylene glycol – inputs currently 100% imported by Brazil. “That's more than 100 jobs for the state of Rio de Janeiro, that's a lot,” França emphasized, assuring that all environmental licenses are up to date and that there are no legal challenges hindering the schedule.

For President Lula, who will visit Reduc at 11 a.m. accompanied by ministers and state and municipal authorities, the new wave of investments symbolizes the "definitive resumption" of Petrobras as an engine of national development. At the same time, it reinforces the goal of energy transition with the introduction of fuels with a lower carbon footprint, in line with the commitments made by Brazil in international forums.