Exploration and Production of oil and gas in the Equatorial Margin with Socio-Environmental Security

• Grant number: 25/03031-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2030
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Pedro Walfir Martins e Souza Filho
• Grantee: Pedro Walfir Martins e Souza Filho
• Host Institution: INST GEOCIENCIAS/UFPA
• Pesquisadores principais: Afonso César Rodrigues Nogueira ; Alan Rodrigo Leal de Albuquerque ; Candido Augusto Veloso Moura ; Cícero Roberto Teixeira Régis ; Claudio Nery Lamarão ; Cláudio Regis dos Santos Lucas ; cristiano mendel martins ; Daniel Leal Macedo ; Daniel Nobre Nunes da Silva ; Darciclea Ferreira Santos ; Davis Carvalho de Oliveira ; ellen de nazaré souza gomes ; Fábio dos Santos Pereira ; FABIO HENRIQUE GARCIA DOMINGOS ; JEAN MICHEL LAFON ; Jesse Carvalho Costa ; Joao Carlos Ribeiro Cruz ; João Marinho Milhomem Neto ; Joelson Lima Soares ; José Augusto Martins Corrêa ; Jose Bandeira Cavalcante da Silva Junior ; José de Arimatéia Costa de Almeida ; José Jadsom Sampaio de Figueiredo ; José Leão de Luna ; Marcelo Rollnic ; Marcos Welby Correa Silva ; Nils Edvin Asp Neto ; Pedro Tupã Pandava Aum ; Renan Peixoto Rosário ; Renato Sol Paiva de Medeiros ; Roberto Vizeu Lima Pinheiro ; Saulo Siqueira Martins ; Silvério Sirotheau Corrêa Neto ; Silvia Keiko Kawakami ; Sury de Moura Monteiro ; Thiago Henrique da Silva Barbosa ; Thiago Rafael da Silva Moura ; Vando José Costa Gomes

Abstract

The Brazilian Equatorial Margin (MEB), an offshore area bordering the Atlantic coast, is classified by the Brazilian Petroleum Agency (ANP) as a strategic exploratory frontier with high potential. This classification is based on previous studies and the successful exploration of coastal basins in Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. Hence, according to reports from the Energy Research Company (EPE), replenishing Brazil's oil and gas reserves is imperative, particularly given the impending decline in production from the country's Pre-Salt province.The MEB is a region that presents significant technical, logistical, social, environmental, and human resource development challenges. To overcome these challenges successfully, it is essential to adopt the best Environmental, Social, and Governance-ESG practices, along with Well and Facility Integrity Management-SGIP practices. This will help mitigate operational risks and negative impacts while delivering benefits to the region. In addition to the traditional oil and gas industry sectors, the strategic minerals sector for the energy industry (MESE), in alignment with the guidelines of the National Energy Policy Council (CNPE), and nature-based solutions (NBS), as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), are the focal points of this proposal.Addressing these challenges requires a well-trained workforce with expertise in geosciences, engineering, and environmental science. The Institute of Geosciences at the Federal University of Pará (IG-UFPA) has a long-standing relationship with the oil and gas industry, dating back to the 1970s, when Petrobras professionals taught the institution's undergraduate geology courses. Since then, UFPA has been recognized for its role in training professionals in the geosciences field. This proposal offers an opportunity for the university to continue developing professionals in geosciences, engineering, and environmental science, contributing to regional development and economic growth.The overall goal of this proposal is to train human resources at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels in Geology, Geophysics, Oceanography, and Petroleum Engineering, with a focus on vertical integration through undergraduate and graduate programs at UFPA. This approach will provide differentiated, interdisciplinary training for graduates, equipping them to work not only in the oil and gas industry but also in the strategic minerals sector.Through the PRH-ANP program at IG and the Faculty of Engineering (FAE), UFPA will train professionals with varied backgrounds, ensuring they have solid, shared knowledge. This graduate profile will be crucial to meet the demands of both the oil and gas industry in the MEB and the MESE sector, while also integrating nature-based solutions (NBS).The implementation of the Interdepartmental PRH IG-FAE UFPA program presents a strategic opportunity to enhance the curricula of the courses offered at UFPA, aligning them with job market needs and facilitating the better integration of trained professionals from the Northern region of Brazil. Through the PRH, UFPA will produce specialists with advanced knowledge in areas such as ESG, NBS, MESE prospecting, and environmental impact studies. This approach is essential to ensure that exploration and production activities in the MEB, as well as in the MESE sector, are conducted sustainably, respecting environmental guidelines and contributing to a new cycle of regional and national development. Furthermore, the program strengthens the connection between academia and the productive sector, creating opportunities for applied research and technological innovation tailored to the specific challenges of exploration along the MEB. In this way, the PRH not only contributes to the training of qualified human resources in the region but also fosters its socioeconomic development, preparing professionals who will play a key role in the Brazilian energy sector. (AU)