The board of the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) Agency decided on Thursday to reject a request made by Petrobras and maintain the ban on the assets of the company known as Polo Bahia Terra, for security reasons.
At the same time, the PNA has decided to create a working group to monitor the situation at the pole and articulate the necessary actions for the gradual and complete recovery of its production, as stated in a note, without setting any deadlines.
“The PNA understands that it cannot shirk its duty to end imminent and serious risk situations, but, at the same time, it will spare no effort to ensure that production resumes as quickly as possible,” the regulator said.
The working group that will be created is expected to work with the company to define the strategy for the return of production to the Bahia Terra Pole, “with the correction of critical deviations that cause serious and imminent risks in the shortest possible time”, according to the agency .
The measure also aims to work on a timetable for returning to operations, with priority actions, based on production capacity, guarantee of supply, shorter times to clean up the conditions established in the ban and other applicable criteria.
Wanted, Petrobras did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The PA’s shutdown of 37 onshore oil and gas production facilities of the state oil company at the Bahia Pole was reported in December, after an autarky audit.
The agency reiterated that the inspection carried out by the technicians of the local authority between 5 and 9 December highlighted the lack of fire and gas sensors; the unavailability of fixed fire-fighting systems; the undersizing of the emergency vents; and the non-provision of interlocking actions in case of confirmed gas.
He further stated that the company has not assessed and, consequently, not managed, the specific risks of the plants and their operations at the pole, there being no studies on the consequences of possible fires and explosions, “something mandatory for the operator’s philosophy of safety “.
The PNA also explained that on December 15 it authorized the extension, requested by Petrobras, of the deadline for completing the shutdown of wells and production facilities in the prohibited fields, on the basis of the Safe Stop Plan presented by the company.
Therefore, the deadline for the gradual suspension of activities, which was initially 72 hours, i.e. until the end of December 15, has been extended until this Thursday.
Petrobras is currently negotiating the sale of Polo Bahia Terra with a consortium of companies formed by Petrorecôncavo and Eneva.
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Source: Terra
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
