RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Eberaldo Neto, Petrobras’ Corporate Affairs director, said yesterday, October 25th, that the analysis of 30 oil samples collected from beaches in the Northeast of Brazil allowed him to conclude that it was extracted from three production fields in Venezuela.
At a press conference to analyze the results of the third quarter of 2019 report, Neto explained that the company acted as soon as it was triggered by the federal government, in early September, and has collected 340 tons of waste from the beaches.
“We analyzed over 30 samples and found it to be from three Venezuelan fields,” Neto said. “The source of the leak is something else. We believe it is off the Brazilian coast”.
The spill probably occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, in a region on the path of a marine current that comes from Africa and splits, following along the northern coast of Brazil’s Northeast, and to Bahia and the Southeast, crossing the locations where the oil has been collected.
“We know that the leak came from a point along this bifurcation. Probably a passing ship. The authorities are investigating”.
Neto pointed out that the fact that the oil sinks and flows to the coast in a layer below the sea surface makes it difficult to see it with overflights and satellites and also to contain it with barriers.
“We have an environmental defense center prepared for this, but prepared for Petrobras oil, which leaks from Petrobras’ installation, and we locate the source and attack with the most appropriate instruments,” said the director, who explained that the fact that the oil has submerged made it nearly impossible to contain it before reaching the coast.
“It is virtually impossible to take this oil and hold it with barriers and other instruments that we have. The capture system occurred when the tide and the current carried it ashore. Unfortunately, this has been the way, because, with the systems we have, it’s like finding a needle in a haystack for us”.
The director of the state-owned company said that Petrobras will distribute individual protection equipment in communities in the Northeast so that volunteers can wear it to protect themselves from potential poisoning when they come into contact with the substance.
Neto said that Petrobras’ focus is to continue the work and any discussion on the amount to be repaid to the company for resources spent will be handled later.
Source: Agência Brasil