The Minister of Mines and Energy, Adolfo Sachsida (photo), said today (26), in Rio de Janeiro, that he is sure that Petrobras will sell all the refineries provided for in the divestment plan and, with that, will honor an agreement with the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade). He recalled that the Mataripe (Rlam) and Isaac Sabbá (Reman) refineries were recently sold.

“This reduces the concentration of this market from 98% to 80%. I am sure that Petrobras will do everything to fulfill the agreement with Cade and sell all the refineries that were agreed”, he added, at the opening of the 20th Rio Oil & Gas, the largest event in the sector in Latin America.

The agreement closed between Cade and Petrobras in 2019 provides for the sale, by the company, of eight refineries, which will result in the reduction of the state-owned company's operations in the refining area in Brazil. Sachsida added that the works on the Manaus-Boa Vista power line will resume next month.

Also at the meeting, the minister encouraged investments in the Green Rural Product Certificate (CPR Verde), which is a credit instrument created to finance reforestation activities and maintenance of native vegetation on rural properties. He said that the asset can be used in environmental projects. “This instrument already exists. You can buy from any environmental service, that is, you preserve the environment and have gains for your company, so get to know this instrument”, he recommended.

The minister took advantage of the presence of investors at the meeting to ask for support for the project to revitalize the headquarters of the Geological Survey of Brazil (Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais - CPRM), where the Museum of Earth Sciences, intended for geology and paleontology.

“We have to have the museum and Litoteca standing. There, children went to learn about geology, saw dreams growing and, unfortunately, today CPRM is in difficulties. I would very much like the private support for us to recover the CPRM”, he opined.

Legislation
For the Minister of the Environment, Joaquim Leite, despite the search for faster release of the licensing of projects in the sector, the legislation has been respected. “We, together with Minister Sachsida, work to bring sustainable exploration, exploration with environmental and social responsibility. We walk together so that this happens and that we can explore all the opportunities that the oil and gas sector presents to Brazil, but all of them in the direction of a green economy”, he said, adding that the sector is already on that path, as the example of “oil with a smaller carbon footprint” presented by Petrobras.

“Brazil has the opportunity to be a country of energy security and also of green energy for the world,” he added.

The minister announced that, during the 27th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 27), between November 6 and 18, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, Brazil will have a relevant participation in the area of ​​renewable energy.

“The Climate Conference this year will be very focused on energy and Brazil will present the country of green energies. We have more than 100 GW of biomass, wind and solar power [unit of physical power] in surplus for energy production. A more competitive energy. These energies in the Northeast, especially solar and wind, are at super competitive prices compared to what is happening in the world, in addition to marine wind with weathervanes at sea with a potential of more than one thousand GW”, he revealed.

Energy capital
The president of the Brazilian Oil and Gas Institute, Roberto Ardenghy, said that this year's edition of Rio Oil & Gas marks the resumption of Rio de Janeiro as the energy capital of the world.

“This week, Rio de Janeiro stands out as the place where the main formulas and the future of this industry will be discussed, which has a huge role in world society as a whole and also in Brazil, but also, a decarbonized and technological industry, which will generate a lot of jobs and pay a lot of taxes. We estimate US$ 600 billion over the next ten years, creating 500 thousand jobs throughout Brazil”, he said, estimating that, in the next 10 years, investments in the oil and gas sector should be around US$ 183 billion.

The mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, who also participated in the opening of Rio Oil & Gas, celebrated the meeting's return to the city. “For us, it is a joy and pride to be able to have this meeting that is so traditional in the history of our city, being held in Rio de Janeiro for 40 years and, once again, being a face-to-face meeting”, he said.