Speaking at OTC Brasil 2019, this Tuesday (29/10), in Rio de Janeiro, Petrobras' Director of Refining and Natural Gas, Anelise Lara, commented that the opening of the natural gas market and partnerships with other companies will provide scale gains, increased investment capacity and risk sharing in the development of new infrastructure to unlock offshore gas value. The executive spoke during a panel about the natural gas production of offshore fields.

Anelise stressed the need for adequate timing between the construction of pipelines to flow production, the existence of processing infrastructure and the growth of production, especially in the pre-salt. “Over 80% of our gas production is associated with oil production and 60% of this comes from pre-salt fields,” he said, to illustrate the importance of offshore gas.

The next project to drain Santos Basin's pre-salt gas production, the Natural Gas Processing Unit (UPGN) in Itaboraí (RJ), which is part of the integrated Route 3 project, is scheduled to start operating. The second half of 2021. According to the executive, new pipelines and new processing plants may eventually be needed to increase natural gas production from 2023.

The director reaffirmed that, in agreement with the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), Petrobras has committed to divest its interests in TAG, NTS and TBG, in addition to the 51% stake in Gaspetro, the subsidiary through which The company has interests in 19 gas distributors in Brazil.

“All this effort will provide a new gas market in Brazil, which is more open and can make prices more competitive. We can do this together with partners, ”added Anelise.