Sergipe has once again been recognized as the state with the best regulation in the natural gas sector in Brazil. The top position was achieved in the Free Natural Gas Market Ranking (Relivre), which monitors and quantifies the best legal and regulatory practices in each state while identifying potential areas for improvement. In 2024, the state had already secured the same position in the classification.

Relivre is collaboratively developed by the Brazilian Association of Independent Oil and Gas Producers (Abpip), the Brazilian Institute of Oil and Gas (IBP), and Abrace Energia. The ranking is supported by 12 other sectoral trade entities, including producers and large consumers, with the objective of monitoring the state regulatory sector for natural gas to encourage market liberalization.

In addition to Sergipe, which scored 84.66 overall, the states with the best regulations for the free gas market according to Relivre are Alagoas (78.20) and Espírito Santo (60.45). Among the criteria considered in constructing the ranking, Sergipe stood out in unbundling and gas commercialization.

According to the head of the State Secretariat for Economic Development, Science, and Technology (Sedetec), the recognition in the ranking reflects the efficiency of the actions and policies of the Government of Sergipe in the sector. “Sergipe has a modern, bold regulation aligned with the guidelines of the Federal Government, offering structure and regulatory security. The free gas market reduces operational costs and increases competitiveness by allowing consumers the freedom to negotiate contracts directly with suppliers. This was recently demonstrated by the ceramic industries Capri and Serra Azul, two of the largest natural gas consumers in Sergipe. This shows how our state is an attractive environment prepared for new investments,” summarized Secretary Valmor Barbosa.

Maintaining the first-place position in Relivre is the result of a joint effort by the state administration. In this regard, the Regulatory Agency for Public Services of the State of Sergipe (Agrese) has been proactively promoting continuous advancements in state gas regulation, ensuring the state’s leadership in the sector and strengthening its attractiveness for new investments.

“In terms of numbers, we can cite that one-third of all gas volume traded in Sergipe is conducted in the free market, with lower prices than those observed in other markets, which translates into advantages, especially for local industry. Additionally, the state had the first connection of a private terminal to the federal grid, pioneered the existence of a secondary gas market, and enabled the inland distribution of gas through alternative modalities. In 2019, there was only one gas trader in the state, posing a risk of supply suspension and potential shortages by 2022. With regulatory modernization, we now have 17 accredited traders—17 agents interested in moving gas to the free market in Sergipe, effectively mitigating the risk of shortages,” stated Agrese’s CEO, Luiz Hamilton Santana de Oliveira.

Relivre

To quantify the rankings, Relivre evaluates 37 regulatory items grouped into four categories: ease of migration, equal treatment between captive and free consumers, commercialization, and unbundling.

The classification aims to provide suggestions for improving state regulations, allowing comparisons with other regulatory frameworks. The complete ranking is available at relivre.com.br, along with methodological documents and reference analyses.