Ibama has fined Petrobras R$ 2.5 million for an oily fluid spill during drilling in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, which occurred on January 4. The incident involved 18.44 cubic meters of material 175 km off the Amapá coast, and the state-owned company claims the fluid is biodegradable with no environmental harm.
The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) issued an infringement notice to Petrobras, imposing a R$ 2.5 million fine for a spill of 18.44 cubic meters of Non-Aqueous Based Drilling Fluid, an oily mixture used in oil and gas exploration. The incident took place on January 4 in the Foz do Amazonas Basin, on the Equatorial Margin, aboard the Navio Sonda 42 (NS-42), located about 175 kilometers off the Amapá coast.
According to Ibama, the spilled material poses a medium risk to human health and the aquatic ecosystem, as per Law No. 9,966/2000 and Normative Instruction No. 14/2025. The notice was issued by the National Center for Environmental and Climate Emergencies (Ceneac), under the Directorate of Environmental Protection (Dipro). Petrobras has 20 days to pay the fine or file an administrative defense.
The state-owned company stated that the spill resulted from fluid loss in two auxiliary lines connecting the rig to the well but was immediately contained and isolated. "Petrobras informs that it has received the notice and will take appropriate measures. We reiterate that the fluid is biodegradable, non-persistent, non-bioaccumulative, and non-toxic, as per the product's Safety Data Sheet. It meets all environmental agency parameters and causes no environmental damage," the company said in a statement.
Drilling was halted shortly after the incident, with structures brought to the surface for analysis and repairs. This week, the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) authorized the resumption of operations, subject to conditions such as replacing rig parts, reviewing the maintenance plan, and proving employee training.
The spill occurred less than three months after Petrobras obtained, in October 2023, an Ibama license for drilling in the area, following years of disputes involving the Ministry of Environment, led by Marina Silva, who is critical of oil exploration there.
