Final tests are expected to begin soon to assess the feasibility of oil exploration at the Amazon River’s mouth. The process, conducted by Petrobras and Brazil’s environmental agency Ibama, is advancing quickly due to the strong interest of both federal government and the state-owned oil company.
While President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and his allies strongly support expanding oil activity in the region, other high-ranking officials, such as Environment Minister Marina Silva, along with environmental groups, warn of uncertainties and the risk of accidents.
Guilherme Estrella, a geologist known as the “father of the pre-salt” for his role in discovering the Campos and Santos basins, argues that the debate over oil drilling in the region is crucial for Brazil’s national security and sovereignty, and for shaping a long-term development project.
“We must secure larger reserves to guarantee a genuine and autonomous national development plan,” said Estrella, who worked at Petrobras for 38 years, in an interview with BdF.
Beyond ecology: foreign concessions and Brazil’s energy future
While many specialists highlight the region’s environmental sensitivity, home to underexplored reef systems and strong ocean currents that could spread an oil spill to neighboring countries within hours, Estrella believes the greatest concern is not ecological, but political. In his view, the concession model currently used in Brazil allows foreign companies to extract and own all the oil they find, with no obligation to share revenues with the Brazilian state.
Estrella stressed that Petrobras has an internationally recognized safety record, citing its pre-salt operations at depths of up to 2,400 meters since 2006 with no reported accidents. He insisted that the company has complied with all environmental regulations and additional requirements requested by Ibama, though the agency continues to impose new demands.
For Estrella, halting Petrobras from exploring these blocks, particularly when international oil giants are also acquiring rights to the area, compromises national sovereignty and weakens Brazil’s ability to implement a coherent development strategy.
The pre-salt, Estrella recalled, was discovered under his leadership in 2003, following President Lula’s directive to reinforce Petrobras’s national commitment. He described the 2006 discovery as one of the most significant since the North Sea, with massive reserves capable of transforming Brazil’s energy landscape. Initially protected under a production-sharing regime, these reserves are now increasingly under foreign control due to post-2016 regulatory changes following the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff.
On the topic of energy exports, Estrella criticized Brazil’s decision to supply fuel to Israel amid the country’s military campaign in Gaza. He called this policy a violation of national sovereignty and a moral failure, asserting that such exports contribute to what he described as genocide. According to the geologist, international contracts cannot override “ethical and civilizational principles”, and he urged the Brazilian government to immediately cease energy exports to Israel.
He further noted that gas discoveries off the coast of Gaza may be linked to Israel’s actions, arguing that energy interests are at the heart of the conflict and annexation efforts.
Estrella concluded by reflecting on his role in the discovery of Brazil’s pre-salt reserves, saying the credit belongs not just to him but to generations of Petrobras geologists who built the company’s expertise since its founding in 1954.
