Brazil prosecutors challenge Petrobras plan for extra Amazon basin wells

Brazil's federal prosecutor's office (MPF) has formally asked environmental regulator Ibama to clarify why Petrobras should be allowed to drill three additional exploratory wells in the Foz do Amazonas basin. The prosecutors argue that these requests go beyond what the current operating licence permits.

The existing licence covers only a single exploratory well, named Morpho. Petrobras, however, has applied to drill three more wells in the same region. The MPF said on Monday that authorising new drilling through simple permits or amendments would violate environmental rules and fail to account for cumulative impacts.

The prosecutors also noted that multiple drilling operations carry different environmental consequences compared with a single well, particularly for traditional coastal communities, including Indigenous groups and fishermen.

The request comes days after Petrobras announced it had found hydrocarbons in an exploratory well in the basin, located in ultra-deep waters off the coast of Amapá state.

Ibama has been given five days to respond with the requested information and documents. Petrobras has not yet commented on the matter.