Ibama approves Petrobras Plan (PETR4) in a license to explore Foz do Amazonas

Ibama approved on Monday plan presented by Petrobras (PETR4) to conduct surveys and simulation of animal rescue in the Foz do Amazonas basin, within the process of searching the state by a license to explore the region.

The approval indicates that the plan “has met the required technical requirements and is fit for the next step: the conduct of surveys and rescue simulations of oleada fauna, which will test, in practice, the ability to respond in case of oil spill accidents,” the agency said in a statement.

Ibama stressed in the statement that the conceptual approval of the Oleada Fauna Protection and Service Plan (PPAF) represents the compliance with a stage in the environmental licensing process, but does not configure the granting of license to start the exploratory drilling.

“The continuity of the licensing process will depend on the field, the operational viability of the Individual Emergency Plan” (PEI), said the environmental agency.

For this, Ibama said that it will define, together with Petrobras, a schedule for pre-operational evaluation (APO), which will verify, through surveys and simulations, the effectiveness of the proposed plan.

In May 2023, Ibama denied a request from Petrobras for the offshore drill license at the mouth of Amazonas, alleging environmental concerns. Subsequently, the agency also highlighted concerns about the impacts that drilling could have on the indigenous communities of Amapá. The oil company appealed, but Ibama’s final decision is still pending.

The Foz do Amazonas basin is on the equatorial margin of Brazil, considered the most promising oil border in the country, sharing geology with neighboring Guyana, where Exxon Mobil is exploring huge oil fields.