Overview
- Ibama issued an environmental license allowing Petrobras to drill an exploratory well in offshore Block FZA-M-059 near the Amazon River mouth.
- Petrobras says drilling begins immediately and could run up to five months at deepwater depths roughly 500 kilometers from the river’s mouth.
- Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira endorsed the approval as vital for energy sovereignty, while President Lula argues oil revenue will fund a climate transition.
- Environmental groups and Indigenous advocates vowed legal challenges, warning of threats to mangroves and manatees and noting strong currents and storm risks.
- The approval followed a 2023 denial and internal Ibama objections, with the final report requiring conservation measures and a new fauna simulation as Brazil advances Equatorial Margin exploration.