Petrobras reached new record of delivering natural gas to the domestic market in 2013, with the annual average of 44 million and 500 thousand m³/ d, 3.2% above the result achieved in 2012, which was 43 million and 100 000 m³/ d. Also reached a new monthly record, with an average of 47 million and 900 thousand m³ / d in March 2013.

According to the statement released by the company, the significant growth of domestic gas supply observed in recent years is the result of a series of investments in the development of natural gas production projects, leveraged by the Plan of the Gas Production Anticipation (Plangas). Since the program began in 2008, several new fields have begun to produce, especially for non-associated gas Canapu Camarupim and in Espírito Santo state, and Mexilhão, Uruguá and Tambaú in the Santos Basin. Also noteworthy is the beginning of the Treatment Unit of Caraguatatuba Gas and Pipeline Caraguatatuba-Taubaté operations in the state of São Paulo.

Besides Plangas, other factors contributing to the increase were the records of the delivery of gas to thermoelectric generation in the North, rising production of the Lula field, which produces associated gas in pre-salt Santos Basin, and Parque das Baleias in the Espírito Santo state.

Also in 2013, the exploration and production area of Petrobras reached its record annual use of gas with the use of 92.6% of associated gas produced at reservoir conditions. This record is a result of the excellent performance of the company in 2013, the year in which several monthly records of using gas were overcome, the last one being in September, when Petrobras reached 94.4% of gas utilization.

These results reinforce the success of the Optimization Program Harnessing Natural Gas (POAG 2015), which has allowed to improve the performance of the operating units of the South and Southeast regions since 2010, when the program began.