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The first day of OTC Brasil 2017 reassures the recovery moment for the oil and gas industry in the country. In his speech at the topical luncheon “Opportunities for the Oil Business in Brazil,” session chairperson Jorge Camargo, Brazilian Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (IBP) president, talked about the new cycle for the energy sector. “The current scenario is more transparent with more investments and  competitiveness.”

Approximately 350 executives gathered at the luncheon, which had as keynote speaker Márcio Félix, secretary of Oil, Natural Gas and Renewable Fuels from Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), representing the minister Fernando Coelho Filho. He announced that “the Brazilian Environment Institute (Ibama), agreed with the MME to release pending environmental licenses for seismic operation in the Basins of Potiguar and Foz do Amazonas”.

“We have a waiting time of three years for an environmental license. But I believe that we have an advance in terms of licensing process, and we´re working for a major equilibrium in this field,” he said. Marcio Felix also reinforced the government challenge to address important issues such as unitization, local content and Repetro fiscal regime. “It’s necessary to focus on the Brazilian regulatory ambience so that more companies from all over the world continue investing in the country.”

The end of sole operator system, which has taken from Petrobras the obligation to operate in all E&P projects in the country, proves the importance of investing in the regulation landmark changes. In the morning, during the conference opening ceremony, Pedro Parente, Petrobras CEO, mentioned that Petrobras will continue working in partnership with the industry. “A single Pre-Salt well can produce 40 thousand barrels per day (bpd), which means a remarkable productivity.”

Other opening ceremony participants were Marcio Felix; João Carlos de Luca, OTC Brasil General Chairman; Marcelino Guedes, RioPipeline Chair; Wafik Beydoun, OTC Chair; Decio Oddone, Agência Nacional do Petróleo, Gás Natural e Biocombustíveis (ANP) General Director; and keynote speaker Lord John Browne, former BP CEO.

New Technologies and Digitalization

The event has brought to light the debate of other relevant themes for the industry, such as new technologies, operations’ optimization, cost reduction and innovation. In the panel session “New alliances in the subsea market: what operators may expect?” Aker Solutions CEO, Luis Araújo, mentioned that the company invests heavily in digitalization and data sharing,

“Digitalization is the way to find the path to solutions and reduce costs, and data sharing is very important for the industry development. In Norway, information sharing is already a reality and I believe that it should be the same in Brazil,” said Araujo.

For Donald Sweet, vice-president of Integrated Solutions and Sales for OneSubsea, establishing alliances bring more competitiveness to the market, as it reduces risks and enhances interest in investments. The executive opinion was echoed by Jesus Grande, Latin America president of Baker Hughes, a GE Company. “Recent partnerships have enhanced BHGE scope, and it may be considered a fullstream provider. Now we have an extensive portfolio and expertise in the upstream, midstream and downstream areas. This is the best way to bring energy to the world.”

OTC Brasil 2017 is sponsored by Petrobras; Total; Shell; BP; Fluor; Statoil; Baker Hughes – a GE Company; Chevron; TechnipFMC; Repsol Sinopec; Saipem; ExxonMobil; Vallourec; Galp/Petrogal; Queiroz Galvão; Flutrol; Aker Solutions; CNOCC; Subsea7; Brazil – U.S. Business Council; Firjan; and OceanPact.

Registration for OTC Brasil is open online and onsite at Riocentro, until Thursday, 26 October.

Share your OTC Brasil experience at #OTCBrasil.