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Petrobras increases pressure on shipyards.

The state-owned company is expressing concern about the pace of construction of the drilling rigs contracted to national shipyards, including Atlântico Sul in Pernambuco; pressure to meet the schedule will be intensified.

Petrobras increases pressure on shipyards (Photo: Arnaldo Carvalho/JC Imagem/AE)

Raphael Coutinho _PE247 – The pace of work being done at Brazilian shipyards is causing great concern for Petrobras' management. A survey indicates that approximately 70% of the drilling rigs ordered by the company for pre-salt oil exploration are behind schedule or have not even started. One of them is the Atlântico Sul Shipyard (EAS), in the Port of Suape, Pernambuco, which has seven orders, all of which are behind schedule according to the state-owned company.

The company's concern is justified by the delay in starting oil exploration in the pre-salt layer, which results in delays in Petrobras' ability to convert the product into cash. In an interview with the newspaper Estado de São Paulo, the president of a shipyard, whose name was not revealed, acknowledged the difficulties in meeting the deadline. "The only certainty you have when starting a construction project is that it won't be finished on time. I'm not saying it's impossible (to meet the deadline), but it's very difficult. Doing something for the first time is always complicated," he said.

The company has signed contracts for the construction of 33 drilling rigs to be built in Brazil. Two more are in advanced stages of negotiation. In total, approximately US$28 billion will be invested. Despite the schedule, Graça Foster states that she is not working with a scenario of delays and will be closely monitoring the shipyards to ensure deadlines are met.