Brazil's prosecutors press Petrobras to conduct more Amazon drilling studies

Brazilian federal prosecutors have asked Petrobras, the state-run oil company, to conduct more studies before drilling near the Amazon rainforest coast, citing the potential effects of extreme weather conditions on tides. Documents filed Monday with environmental agency Ibama show that the prosecutors cited the possible effects of extreme weather conditions on tides.

A technical assessment by an oceanographer commissioned by Federal Prosecutor's Office on Oct. 1, said extreme weather conditions such as the recent droughts in Amazon could lead to "unpredictable situations."

Prosecutors argued on this basis that the oil dispersion models used by Petrobras to divide the public in its bid for a license to drill near the mouth the Amazon River was "insufficient."

In a Nov. 19 letter to Petrobras, prosecutors warned that if Petrobras failed to meet the "minimum requirements" to obtain a license they would file a lawsuit due to the potential environmental damage.

Petrobras didn't immediately respond to an inquiry for comment.

Petrobras has been exploring for oil off the coast of Brazil's far north, along the Equatorial Margin. This area is considered to be the most promising oil frontier in Brazil due to the fact that it shares geology with Guyana, a country nearby, where Exxon Mobil develops huge oil fields.

Petrobras' plan to drill near an environmentally sensitive area has caused a rift within the Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva government between those who are concerned about the environment and those who want to expand the oil-and-gas industry.

The federal prosecutors did not threaten to block Petrobras' drilling plans for the first time after recommending that Ibama refuse a license due to the possible harm to indigenous communities. (Reporting and editing by Brad Haynes, Leslie Adler, and Fabio Teixeira)

(source: Reuters)