The governor of Amapá, Clécio Luís, celebrated this Monday (20) the announcement of the granting of the license by the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) that authorizes the Petrobras drilling wells for exploratory research in block FZA-M-59, in the Foz do Amazonas sedimentary basin, which is part of the area of the Brazilian coast known as the Equatorial Margin.
“The news we have been waiting for has arrived! Ibama has released the license for Petrobras to begin the research phase in the Equatorial Margin. It is a historic step towards knowledge about the energy potential of Amapá and the development of the Amazon!”, wrote the governor, in a post on social media.
With potential reserves estimated at up to 16 billion barrels of oil and the possibility of producing 1.1 million barrels per day, the so-called Equatorial Margin extends from the mouth of the Oiapoque River, in the extreme north of Amapá, to the northern coast of Rio Grande do Norte, covering one of the most promising maritime areas in the country for the extraction of fossil fuel.
According to the federal government itself, this area is considered the “new Pre-Salt of the Amazon”. The site is 500 kilometers from the mouth of the Amazon River and 175 kilometers from the coast of Amapá.
The National Confederation of Industry (CNI) estimates that the exploration of the Equatorial Margin could increase Amapá’s GDP by up to 61.2%, in addition to generating around 54 thousand direct and indirect jobs. The CNI National Industry Observatory also indicates that the region’s development could create 495 thousand new formal jobs, add R$175 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and produce R$11.23 billion in indirect revenue.
Municipalities such as Oiapoque, Calçoene, Amapá, Macapá, Itaubal and Santana are among the main beneficiaries, with expected growth in services, infrastructure, housing and technical training.
The Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira (photo), argued that research in Equatorial Margin “represents the future of our energy sovereignty”.
“We made a firm and technical defense that exploration is carried out in an environmentally responsible manner, among the highest international standards, and with concrete benefits for Brazilians. Our oil is one of the most sustainable in the world, with one of the smallest carbon footprints”, said the Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, in a video posted on his social networks.
The minister also publicly thanked the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, a department to which Ibama is linked.
Licensing for possible oil exploration in the Equatorial Margin divides sectors of society. Environmentalists and scientists criticized Ibama’s endorsement and civil society organizations and social movements promise to go to court to denounce illegalities and technical flaws in the licensing process.
The group also warns of damage to the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), which will be held next month in Belém. The Amazon is seen as a priority zone for the exclusion of fossil fuels, due to its importance for the climate and the planet’s biodiversity.
Entities linked to oil and gas production celebrated the authorization for Petrobras to drill wells for exploratory research in the Foz do Amazonas sedimentary basin. The Single Federation of Petroleum Workers (FUP) said that oil production in the region “will help with the economic development” of the country.
In the same vein, the Brazilian Oil and Gas Institute (IBP), an entity representing the oil, gas and biofuels sector, also said that granting a license to Petrobras will bring economic gains to Brazil.
