Petrobras awaits government OK to drill at mouth of Amazon River
BRASILIA, April 29 (Reuters) - Brazilian state-run oil firm Petrobras said on Saturday that it is awaiting the government's stance on its request to drill a well at the mouth of the Amazon River Basin, following a technical recommendation by the country's environmental agency to reject the proposal.
"We've complied with all the requirements, and we're waiting for the government's decision," said CEO Jean Paul Prates in a note, stressing the company is not pressuring for any decision.
"We're technically ready, waiting for the official position on our drilling campaign in the region," he added.
Petrobras has for years been trying to open up a new exploration front on the coast of Amapa state in northern Brazil near Guyana, where Exxon Mobil has made important discoveries.
But a technical report from Brazil's environmental agency Ibama has advised against the request, citing discrepancies in environmental studies, inadequate measures for communicating with indigenous communities, and insufficiencies in Petrobras' plan to safeguard the region's wildlife.
The document, seen by Reuters, also recommended shelving the environmental licensing process for oil block FZA-M-59, which was auctioned off by oil regulator ANP to the company in 2013. Though they paid for studies, Britain's BP and France's TotalEnergies gave up on their assets there due to difficulty obtaining drilling licenses.
The technical report will serve as the basis for the environmental agency's ultimate determination on whether or not to authorize activities in the area. (Reporting by Marta Nogueira, Writing by Marcela Ayres; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
