Over the next five years, Petrobras will invest $17 billion (R$ 84 billion) in refining, transportation, and marketing projects across various units in Brazil to expand its diesel production capacity and gradually increase offerings for the low-carbon market. The project at RNEST, expected to be completed by 2028 and generating 30,000 direct and indirect jobs, will increase the capacity of the Pernambuco refinery in oil processing from 100,000 to 260,000 barrels per day and add over 13 million barrels of low-sulfur Diesel S10 to the national production capacity.

During the ceremony, alongside RNEST workers, Pernambuco Governor Raquel Lyra, Ministers Luciana Santos (Science, Technology, and Innovation), André de Paula (Fisheries and Aquaculture), and Sílvio Costa Filho (Ports and Airports), part of Petrobras' board, and other authorities, Lula and Jean emphasized the refinery's importance for the Northeast and Brazil.

For President Lula, 2023 was a year of hard work, especially at the grassroots level, where the country resumed investments. "The first year (2023) was a year to clean the ground and plant new things; this year (2024) is the year of harvest, and the first flourishing tree we are harvesting is the recovery of RNEST," celebrated Lula.

President Jean Paul Prates (photo) reinforced the importance of RNEST and highlighted its potential for the future. "This will be the second-largest refinery in Brazil and the most modern and newest in the entire American continent. It is also a refinery for the future. We will start producing diesel with renewable content, a plant-based diesel. This is the refinery for the next 100 years, which will not end with oil. Oil may run out, but RNEST won't." Jean noted that the refinery marks its 10th year of operation this year.

During the event, Petrobras also launched the Autonomy and Income Program, which will offer vocational training courses to people in socio-economic vulnerability.

Jean also emphasized Petrobras's role in contributing to society in other ways, such as training new professionals. "We will offer training courses to meet the demands of the entire sector. There will be almost 20,000 spots for various courses in several states where Petrobras operates, with 7,205 spots just in Pernambuco, offering a monthly scholarship of R$ 660 (R$ 858 for women with a child up to 11 years old). The goal is to qualify people, especially those in social vulnerability or unemployed, to work in the Brazilian energy industry," explained Prates.