Offshore staff
RIO DE JANEIRO – Ibama, Brazil’s federal environmental regulator, is working on a faster, simpler, and standardized environmental licensing process, according to new director Rose Hofmann.
Speaking at a plenary session at Rio Oil & Gas, she explained that Ibama also pledged investment in personnel qualification and adoption of control and management mechanisms.
“We will have an annual licensing plan and goals to pursue efficiency and agility,” she said.
IBP’s executive secretary of Exploration and Production, Antonio Guimaraes, said the industry was helping to speed up the country’s licensing processes, citing a cooperation agreement with Ibama for the preparation of terms of reference and mapping of the Brazilian coastline and islands.
The slowness of the license process could jeopardize investments, he warned, pointing out that no drilling license has yet been granted for last year’s 13th Round.
Secretary of the Investment Partnership Program, Moreira Franco, said he hopes for approval shortly of two points of a draft bill concerning the end ofPetrobras’ monopoly as a single operator. This is currently going forward for discussion in the House of Representatives.
The government aims to strengthenBrazil’s oil and gas industry, he said, which would in turn help Petrobras.
10/28/2016
