By Jeremy Beckman, London editor
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Brazil’s environment agency IBAMA has confirmed Petrobras’ environmental license to drill two exploratory wells in deepwater Block BM-POT-17 in the Potiguar Basin on the Equatorial Margin.
The first well will be drilled 52 km offshore with the program starting in the next few weeks, after the rig has reached the location.
Petrobras aims to increase its knowledge of the area’s geology to assess the economic feasibility and extent of the 2013 Pitu oil discovery. It does not plan oil production at this stage.
The company added that it had complied with all requirements and procedures requested by IBAMA. The final phase of the assessment, conducted in mid-September, involved an onsite simulation, or pre-operational assessment, which confirmed to IBAMA Petrobras' ability to respond swiftly and decisively to any accidental oil spill.
In the Equatorial Margin, the company noted, there are four Environmental Defense Centers (CDAs) located in Pará, Maranhão, Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, along with nine further CDAs, bases and emergency response centers elsewhere in Brazil.
All are equipped to respond to accidental events at sea involving oil spills, Petrobras added.
