Petrobras is delaying payment of a R$ 625,500 fine imposed by Ibama for failing to monitor fluids during a 2011 drilling in the Foz do Amazonas basin. The state-owned company contests the infraction, claiming the requirement was introduced after operations ended, while Ibama keeps the process confidential in its final allegations phase. Recently, a new leak occurred in a nearby block, but no penalty has been issued yet.
In 2011, Petrobras conducted drilling in block FZA-4 in the Foz do Amazonas basin, about 110 to 126 km off the Amapá coast near Oiapoque. The operating license No. 1,048/2011, amended in 2013, required monitoring of fluids and gravels under condition 2.11, but the company failed to submit the project, leading to a R$ 625,500 fine imposed by Ibama in July 2017.
The state-owned firm challenged the infraction in August 2017, arguing that the 2013 requirement did not apply to drillings completed in 2012. "Ibama claims that Petrobras failed to meet a requirement imposed from 2013 on drillings that ended in 2012, when there was no such demand," the company stated in a note. The process is in the final allegations phase, and Ibama denied access to the full file under the Access to Information Law, stating it is only released after final judgment.
That earlier operation ended in an accident causing equipment damage and a hydraulic oil leak, leading to project abandonment in 2016. Ibama rated the incident as medium severity.
Recently, following pressure from President Lula, Ibama authorized new explorations in the area. On January 4, 2026, a leak of 15,000 liters of drilling fluid occurred in block 59, 160 km offshore, detected at 2.7 km depth. Petrobras said the incident was immediately contained, the fluid is biodegradable and meets toxicity limits, with no environmental harm. "The fluid used meets permitted toxicity limits and is biodegradable, so there is no damage to the environment or people," the company noted.
Ibama confirmed notification and ongoing analysis: "Regarding the fluid discharge into the sea, the company was duly notified, and the case is under review by Ibama." No new infraction has been issued yet.
In broader context, from 2013 to 2023, Ibama issued 3,000 environmental fines to Petrobras totaling R$ 985.6 million, of which only R$ 49.9 million were settled.
