The 18th edition of the Rio Oil & Gas ended yesterday after four days of congress, fair and side events that brought together officials, executives and young industry professionals. The event recorded 34,200 visitors, 3,920 congress participants, over 140 speakers, 540 exhibitors and 300 journalists. In the digital environment, the Rio Oil & Gas reached an audience of 3 million people.

"Rio Oil was a great success. Presented exuberant numbers, but I want to highlight the opening, with Temer President, ministers and governors. We have never had so many important presence as well, "celebrated the president of the Brazilian Institute of Oil, Gas and Biofuels (IBP), Jorge Camargo.

More than that, Camargo said that the speeches show that the current government "will be part of the solution" and not a problem. The executive mentioned the positive signals for the extension of Repetro and a focused and feasible local content policy.

This edition was highlighted by an extensive program which included 12 simultaneous events, in-depth discussion on the main issues of the industry and the expectation of 181 million reais business in the next 12 months of the business round of Onip-Sebrae. Rio Oil also met 450 young people and students on WPC Future Leaders Forum, an international event held for the first time in Brazil.

In the final balance of the event, several important announcements for the industry were made. The oil and gas secretary, Marcio Felix, announced the introduction of the fixed auction calendar and a new exploration and production policy, which will ensure predictability and sustainability for operators and all long-term supply chain. Felix also argued that small and medium-sized oil companies operating in onshore pay less royalties to states, municipalities and the union.

The general director of the National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANP), Magda Chambriard, said that the 4th round of bidding for marginal fields and in mature basins to take place in March next year, with the offer of 13 inactive areas in the basins of Recôncavo, Potiguar and Espirito Santo.

The Minister of Mines and Energy, Fernando Coelho Filho, signaled the extension of Repetro and the new local content policy and the new director of environmental license from Ibama, Rose Hofmann, signaled that wants to ensure the industry a faster environmental licensing, simplified, standardized and with electronic processes.

The secretary of the investment partnership program, Moreira Franco, said that one of the government's objectives is to strengthen the oil and gas sector and the president of Petrobras, Pedro Parente, announced a model to negotiate refineries together with pipelines, terminals and other logistics enterprises.