Petrobras begins emergency drill in Foz do Amazonas basin

Two sources familiar with the situation said on Monday that the Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras started an emergency drill on Sunday in the Foz do Amazonas area.

Petrobras considers the so-called preoperative assessment as the final step in an environmental licensing procedure to obtain a permit for drilling an exploratory oil well and gas wells in the area.

Petrobras, and Brazil's environment agency Ibama, did not respond immediately to a comment request.

The drill is expected to include more than 400 participants, along with logistical resources like large vessels, helicopters and a drilling platform, which will be located at the site of the well to be drilled in deep waters off the coast of Amapa.

Oil industry experts believe there is a significant potential to discover large oil and natural gas reserves in Foz do Rio Amazonas, based upon major discoveries made in similar geological regions like Suriname and Guyana.

There is still resistance to the idea of a greener economy, both from within government and amongst certain segments of society. This is due to social-environmental concerns. Reporting by Rodrigo Viga Gaier, Writing by Isabel Teles, Editing by Kirby Donovan

(source: Reuters)