ANP launches study on the use of natural gas from pre-salt

Last week, ANP launched a study on the use of natural gas from the pre-salt. The publication focuses on increasing the commercialization and participation of natural gas from the pre-salt in the country’s energy matrix. The study is available in Portuguese here.

Coordinated by ANP, the study was developed by the agency together with the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME), the Energy Research Company (EPE), Pré-Sal Petróleo SA (PPSA) and BNDES. The Civil House of the Presidency of the Republic also followed the evolution of the project through representatives of the Investment Partnership Program (PPI).

The opportunity for the development of the publication came with the strong upward trend in the levels of reinjection of natural gas in the Pre-Salt reservoirs in recent years and the expectation of a considerable increase in these volumes in the future.

The volume of natural gas reinjected in the Pre-Salt reservoirs was in the order of 10 million cubic meters per day in 2013 (beginning of the increase in production in the Lula and Sapinhoá fields). For 2020, approximately 42 million m³/d is expected, which should rise to around 60 million m³/d in 2023. These are representative volumes that could possibly meet the consumption needs of different sectors and industries, while still maintaining the volume needed for pressure in the reservoirs and CO2 treatment.

The study records the main factors identified as barriers to increasing commercial use of Pre-Salt gas. It also points to government incentives and regulatory actions that aim to attract new investments in the sector over the coming years, resulting in lower costs, increased economic activity, the generation of jobs and the collection of taxes.

Source: ANP