Petrobras builds wildlife centre to secure drilling permit in Brazil

Petrobras has completed a veterinary facility in the Amazon to meet a regulatory requirement for drilling in the strategic Foz do Amazonas region.

Share:

Comprehensive energy news coverage, updated nonstop

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access • Archives included • Professional invoice

OTHER ACCESS OPTIONS

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

FREE ACCOUNT

3 articles offered per month

FREE

*Prices are excluding VAT, which may vary depending on your location or professional status

Since 2021: 35,000 articles • 150+ analyses per week

Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) has finalised the construction of a veterinary centre in the municipality of Oiapoque, in the state of Amapá, within the Brazilian Amazon. This initiative meets a condition set by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) for obtaining an offshore drilling permit in the Foz do Amazonas region. Now operational, the facility is designed to care for wildlife in the event of an oil spill and represents a central element of Petrobras’ renewed permit application.

A strategic move to revive the project

The centre has received an operating licence from the state of Amapá, but remains subject to evaluation by Ibama before any final decision is made. It is open for inspection, marking a critical step in Petrobras’ effort to resume exploration activities in this offshore area considered highly promising. Located approximately 540 kilometres off the coast of Amapá, the Foz do Amazonas region lies on the equatorial margin, near Suriname and Guyana. These neighbouring countries have collectively reported oil discoveries exceeding 11 billion barrels, sparking interest in the adjacent Brazilian area.

Environmental objections and renewed application

Petrobras’ initial request for a drilling licence was denied by Ibama in 2023 due to concerns over the region’s fragile ecosystems. However, the company has resubmitted its application, highlighting enhanced safety measures including the wildlife centre, in a bid to satisfy regulatory requirements. No timeline has been provided for Ibama’s final decision, leaving the project in regulatory limbo.

Equipment mobilisation and preliminary tests

Meanwhile, Petrobras plans to move its drilling rig to the FAZ-M-59 block once regulatory clearance is granted. The company will then carry out a pre-operational assessment to demonstrate the effectiveness of its emergency response systems. This phase is essential before Ibama can issue any definitive authorisation. The project’s progression now hinges on the technical review of the facility and Petrobras’ compliance with Brazilian environmental standards.

Tripoli mise sur des partenariats avec des majors et jusqu’à 4 milliards $ d’investissements pour relancer sa production pétrolière, malgré un climat politique divisé.
Niger hardens its stance on energy sovereignty but avoids breaking with China National Petroleum Corporation, its main oil industry partner, in order to safeguard export revenues.
As Brent hovers near $60, growing opacity around OPEC’s output restrains a steeper decline in crude prices amid surplus warnings by the International Energy Agency.
Portuguese energy group Galp plans to finalise a strategic partnership for its offshore oil project Mopane in Namibia before the end of the year.
A traditional leader from the Niger Delta is seeking compensation before Shell’s onshore asset sale, citing decades of unaddressed pollution in his kingdom.
The Oxford Energy Institute study shows that signals from weekly positions and the Brent/WTI curve now favor contrarian strategies, in a market constrained by regulation and logistics affected by international sanctions. —
Russian company Russneft has shipped its first oil cargo to Georgia’s newly launched Kulevi refinery, despite the absence of formal diplomatic ties between Moscow and Tbilisi.
New Stratus Energy has signed a definitive agreement with Vultur Oil to acquire up to 32.5% interest in two onshore oil blocks located in the State of Bahia, Brazil, with an initial investment of $10mn.
Clearview Resources has completed the sale of all its shares to a listed oil company, exiting Canadian financial markets following shareholder and court approval.
The Brazilian government has approved an offshore drilling project led by Petrobras in the Equatorial Margin region, weeks before COP30 in Belém.
In Taft, a historic stronghold of black gold, Donald Trump's return to the presidency reopens the issue of California's restrictions on oil production and fuels renewed optimism among industry stakeholders.
Vantage Drilling halted a 260-day drilling contract for the vessel Platinum Explorer following a rapid evolution of international sanctions regimes that made the campaign non-compliant with the applicable legal framework shortly after it was signed.
Paratus Energy Services received $58mn through its subsidiary Fontis Energy in Mexico, initiating the repayment of arrears via a government-backed fund established to support investment projects and ensure supplier payments.
Washington ties the removal of additional duties to a verifiable decline in India’s imports of Russian crude, while New Delhi cites already-committed orders and supply stability for the domestic market.
The decline in imports and the rise in refining in September reduced China’s crude surplus to its lowest in eight months, opening the way for tactical buying as Brent slips below 61 dollars.
Chinese executive Zhou Xinhuai, 54, resigned from his post as chief executive of CNOOC Limited after holding the role since April 2022. A strategic reorganization is underway.
Texas-based SM Energy gains full support from its banking syndicate, maintaining a $3bn borrowing base and easing short-term debt maturity terms.
Halliburton and Aker BP have completed the first umbilical-less tubing hanger installation on the Norwegian continental shelf, paving the way for digitised offshore operations with reduced infrastructure.
The US group has finalised operations at the Begonia field, marking its first offshore deepwater intervention in Angola’s Block 17/06, located 150 kilometres off the coast.
Prolonged attacks on fuel convoys have depleted stocks, destabilised power generation and disrupted economic activity in Bamako and surrounding regions.

All the latest energy news, all the time

Annual subscription

8.25$/month*

*billed annually at 99$/year for the first year then 149,00$/year ​

Unlimited access - Archives included - Pro invoice

Monthly subscription

Unlimited access • Archives included

5.2$/month*
then 14.90$ per month thereafter

*Prices shown are exclusive of VAT, which may vary according to your location or professional status.

Since 2021: 30,000 articles - +150 analyses/week.