Petrobras asked the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) for a longer period to decide which of the 254 terrestrial fields and in shallow water under its concession would have an interest in continuing to invest and which it would transfer to the private initiative from of the company's divestment plan. The information was released today (11) by the director general of the ANP, Décio Oddone.

The ANP told Petrobras last year that Petrobras would notify the agency in which fields it would still be interested in investing. Petrobras, however, has asked the agency for more time to decide on the matter. Oddone said that the ANP should grant it, without, however, advancing a new date. "Until then the divestitures were being conducted in the interests and time of Petrobras, but we decided to interfere and regulate it," Oddone said.

The evaluation of the director of the ANP is that the return of the blocks that do not interest the agency must be sold by the state company "as soon as possible" or returned to the ANP itself so that it can include them in the permanent offer of areas, which consolidate and give greater impetus to the country's oil industry.

The evaluation of the director general of the ANP is that the placement of these fields in the market would give more dynamism and increase the sector with respect to the exploitation of the terrestrial or shallow water fields in the country, bringing new companies and investments to the oil industry .

Industry Consolidation

Oddone said the fields that are not so financially attractive to the company have a production of about 1,700 to 1,900 barrels of oil per day per well, compared to about 17,000 barrels of average / day produced in the 17 active fields in the area of the pre-salt.

The assessment of the director general of the ANP is that next year will be of fundamental importance for the consolidation of the country's oil industry and these fields could contribute to the diversification of companies in the sector.

"In four, five years we will have a much more competitive industry and I have no doubt that next year will be a critical year in this process," he said.

Oddone also called for greater decentralization in the refining area, suggesting that Petrobras should sell some refineries and no longer hold percentages in assets transferred to the private sector. The director's assessment is that this would bring "greater competition to the market."

Government Bolsonaro

When asked by journalists about the new government and its influence on Petrobras, Oddone said he did not believe that there is interference or threat to the autonomy of Petrobras.

The director general of the ANP believes that under the government of President Jair Bolsonaro, the state-owned company will continue to act with the independence it has today, an independence that may even be deepened.

"The signs are that it changes very little. This independence may even be deepened and Petrobras will continue to have autonomy. What we heard in the speech of the president of Petrobras, Roberto Castello Branco, was that there will be no subsidies, "he said in reference to the price control policy practiced during the administration of President Dilma Rousseff.

The understanding of Oddone is that in the Bolsonaro government the opening of the oil and gas sector in the country should be consolidated. "For the first time there is a consolidation and monopoly is giving way to the oil industry. In the country, until then, we have become accustomed to considering Petrobras with the oil and gas industry itself. With the liberal orientation of the new government this tends to end and the opening to consolidate. "