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The oil industry crisis is expected to reduce Brazil’s income by R$ 62 billion through 2019. The figure was announced last Friday by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro’s Energy Economics Group (GEE) during an Oil Industry Crisis Assessment Workshop organized by the Brazilian Institute for Oil, Gas and Biofuels (IBP).

According to the study, the decline in oil prices has led major oil companies to downscale their investments in Brazil. At the onset of the crisis last year, investments in the industry declined from R$ 104 billion in 2013 to R$ 87 billion in 2014, a decrease of 16%. In 2015, investments announced by oil companies fell from US$ 236.7 billion to US$ 130.3 billion, a 45% decrease with an impact on GDP of R$ 12.4 billion per year.

The crisis is also affecting job creation and state and municipal royalties revenues, especially in Rio de Janeiro. State royalties in August 2015 were R$ 200 million, R$ 69 million less than in the same period of 2014, although increasing from the previous month. Revenues in oil-producing municipalities declined 25% in the first quarter compared with the same period in 2014.

IBP Executive Secretary Milton Costa Filho said the figures are cause for concern and called for a positive agenda to continue to attract investment in Brazil. “The most recent auction organized by the oil industry regulator (ANP) heightened our concerns, with only a handful of bidders participating. Regulatory issues need to be addressed to make Brazil more attractive for investment, especially during a crisis, when companies are more selective.”

Check out the photo gallery from the event and download the presentations.

Check out the video of the event: