Petrobras chief says Minister of Mines and Energy is wrong in evaluating gas reinjection

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – The head of Petrobras, Jean-Paul Pratis, responded to the accusations made by Minister Alexandre Silvera, saying that the owner of the mines and energy portfolio is wrong in his considerations about reinjecting gas into oil wells.

Silvera recently said it would be important for Petrobras to reduce the level of reinjection to increase gas supplies in the country, while the Petrobras chief noted this Thursday that oil production in the pre-salt layer requires that part of the energy input produced be returned.

The minister recently commented that the level of re-injection in the country is higher than in Europe, Africa and the United States, and that Brazil will need this gas for the re-injection process and to reduce the cost of the product.

In response to a question from reporters during a press conference to discuss energy transition, Pratis said on Thursday that the re-injection of gas adopted by the state-owned company plays an important role in restoring oil production.

In another response to the minister, the executive authority said, “When it is claimed that we have an injection that is larger than the average, this is wrong, and there is no way to measure that.” “I don’t know what that statistic is.”

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In an interview with Valor Econômico, Silvera also rated Petrobras’ attitude towards Brazil’s natural gas policy as “negligent”.

In turn, Pratis said that there is an ongoing program to expand gas supplies, but he considered that Brazil’s reserves are much less than what they are in other countries, and indicated that there will be no gas to meet domestic, transportation, thermal and industrial demand. fertilizers and other sectors.

“There is no gas for everyone, there is no volume of gas to prove demand and ensure development,” he told reporters at a ceremony alongside BNDES President Aloisio Mercadante.

Last week, Silvera announced that between seeking benefits for society through increased gas supplies and falling out with Brats, he would prefer to see the Petrobras boss with a straight face.

“It is even possible to make fertilizer in Brazil, but you have to ‘manage.’ There is no point in just shouting to the newspaper or thinking that one is laughing too much and the other is grim. There is no point in grimacing or smiling, it is worth working together,” Petrobras CEO said. and convergence.”

He added, “If you do not have gas for all sectors … let us work on the (energy supply) mix instead of raising controversy where there is none.”