Responsible for supplying fuel, especially liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) during the dry period in the Amazon rivers, the Codajás operation completed 30 years of work this December. The action, which also ensures the continuity of oil and natural gas production in Urucu/Coari, guarantees that cooking gas reaches the population of the North region. In the period of September and October alone, more than 60 thousand tons of LPG and 129 thousand cubic meters of oil were transported from Urucu, from the Solimões terminal, in Amazonas.
The operation, carried out by Petrobras in partnership with its subsidiary, Transpetro, has a technical committee made up of representatives from both companies and the Brazilian Navy, which monitors river levels daily in Iquitos, Manaus and Coari. In October, measurements were carried out on the Solimões River, between Codajás and Coari, and surveys were carried out in the Madeira River Inlet, on the Amazon River.
To carry out its actions, Codajás this year has four ships selected to operate with exclusive dedication to the 2025 operation, two of which are operated by Transpetro: Jorge Amado and Gilberto Freyre. The operation also has shallow draft vessels, mobilized to cross shallower points. All operations took place in Manaus, without the need for transshipment in Codajás or Itacoatiara, thanks to the maintenance of navigability conditions at critical points.
“Thanks to the actions coordinated by this group, it was possible to go through the period with the maintenance of oil production, product stocks at adequate levels and full compliance with commitments to the LPG market”, informed Petrobras.
According to the company, the fact that the actions also include oil and natural gas contributes to the region’s energy security, since natural gas is used to supply thermoelectric plants that supply Manaus, the seventh most populous capital in the country. It is worth remembering that natural gas produced in the region is responsible for generating energy for more than 50% of the state of Amazonas.
In 2024, during the biggest drought in the Amazon in 74 years, Codajás transported more than 16 thousand tons of LPG in 21 operations with five gas tankers dedicated to the region.
According to Transpetro’s director of Maritime Transport, Jones Soares, over these three decades, the operation has adapted to the climatic and geographic variations of the Amazon.
“Over three decades, we have overcome the conditions imposed by the ebb of the Amazon rivers with technological and safe solutions. And even in years with less impact from the ebb, such as 2025, we continue with planning, monitoring and preventive actions. We are always ready to enable the supply of cooking gas to the population of the North Region, without interruptions”, stated Jones.
