Gas: learn everything about a market full of transformations

Signature of Decree No. 9616/2018, of December 2018. This decree brought important guidelines for opening up the market, based on the knowledge consolidated by the “Gás para Crescer” [Gas to Grow] initiative, in particular: the organization of the transport system by entry and exit; third-party negotiated access to distribution, processing and regasification facilities; and guidelines for opening up the market in the states.

We signed amendments to the Legacy GTAs with TBG to decongest capacity to be offered to third parties on 11/27/2018.

New Gas Market – program that established new initiatives to open up the gas market and consolidated existing ones, with emphasis on the enactment, in June 2019, of CNPE Resolution 16/2018, of the National Council for Energy Policy, which brought guidelines and policies to be observed by the sector's agents to open up the market.

Instrument of Cessation (TCC) signed between the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) and Petrobras – through this agreement, a relevant set of actions has been implemented by Petrobras, according to the established schedule, aiming at opening the Brazilian natural gas market, with incentives for the entry of new players in the market.

Approval of the Sinief (National System of Economic and Tax Information) adjustment related to tax documents, which allows different players to trade gas through pipelines, already considering the contracting of the transport service in the entry and exit regime.

We decline exclusivity on transportation contracts on 07/24/2019. 

We indicated our needs for injection and withdrawal capacities in TAG and NTS systems on 09/24/2019.

We participated in the creation of the Book of Best Practices for Processing and Distribution, together with IBP.

We published a specific website regarding the offer of processing and distribution capacity.

We sent a letter to those potentially interested in accessing the processing plants and distribution infrastructures in 5 different production hubs in Brazil.

We carried out the closing of TAG, having completed the full divestment of that company on 07/20/2020.

We published the teaser for Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolivia-Brasil S.A. (TBG), on 12/23/2020, just 20 days after the disclosure of the regulatory asset base by the ANP.

We have elected 9 Independent Directors, 1 at TAG, 2 at NTS, 3 at TBG and 3 at Gaspetro.

We signed, on 10/01/2020, with Petrogal Brasil, Repsol Sinopec Brasil, Shell Brasil (partners in the offshore gas pipelines of the Santos Basin Pre-Salt Complex - PPSBS) and Shell Energy Brasil Gás, contracts for sharing the natural gas distribution and processing infrastructure (SIE-BS – Santos Basin Integrated Distribution System and SIP – Integrated Processing System).

We carried out the bidding procedure for leasing the Baía de Todos os Santos Regasification Terminal (TRBA), in Bahia, with the publication of the notice in August 2020 (before the scheduled deadline of September 2020), and we started a new bidding procedure in 2021.

We hired a Monitoring trustee to monitor the performance of the acts, and the agreement was executed on 01/07/2020, within the deadline established in the TCC.

On 03/06/2020, we signed an amendment with Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB), a Bolivian public company dedicated to the exploration, distillation and sale of oil and its byproducts, to reduce the purchase from 30 million m³/day to 20 million m³/day.

CNPE Resolution No. 16/2019 additionally provides for the offer of network flexibility and balancing services, duly remunerated, ensuring the security of national supply during a transition period or while there are no other players able to offer these services. In line with this guideline, in 2020 we developed a flexible gas sales model aimed at balancing the carriers' network. The model was presented to several players in the natural gas sector (Ministry of Mines and Energy, Ministry of Economy, TCC Trustee, ATGÁS, IBP, ABEGAS and ANP).

In the legislative sphere, the opening process advanced significantly, with the approval of Law 14,134/2021, of 04/08/2021, which established the new regulatory framework for the natural gas sector in Brazil, establishing essential rules for opening this market, and Decree 10,712/2021, of 06/02/2021, which governs the new law. The approval of the law and the decree gives legal certainty to investors, by allowing the structuring of a legal and regulatory framework in this new scenario.

We carried out the closing of NTS, having completed the full divestment of that company on 04/30/2021.

We signed, on 11/16/2021, with the company Potiguar E&P (a subsidiary of PetroReconcavo), contracts for the distribution and processing of natural gas produced on land thereby in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. On 01/01/2022, such contracts entered into commercial operation.

We signed a contract to reduce flexibility and amendments to Legacy GTAs with TAG on 12/21/2021, allowing third parties to access the transportation system. These contracts aim to adapt the current transportation service contracts, so that carriers, under the supervision of the ANP, can offer the remaining available capacity to the market, in the entry and exit regime. It should be noted that, even before the aforementioned contracts were signed, access under the interruptible mode was already possible. As a result, the transportation systems of the TAG, NTS and TBG carriers (which already offer available capacity since 01/01/2020) are accessible for contracting in all existing modalities by other users.

We carried out the bidding procedure for leasing the Baía de Todos os Santos Regasification Terminal (TRBA), in Bahia, with the publication of the notice in August 2020 (before the scheduled deadline of September 2020), and we started a new bidding procedure in 2021. The leasing process has been completed. We signed the Instrument of Receipt provided for in the contract and transferred, on December 4, the operation of the Bahia Liquefied Natural Gas Regasification Terminal (TR-BA) to the company Excelerate Energy Comercializadora de Gás Natural (Excelerate). The execution of the instrument was carried out after the transaction was approved by the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE). We support Excelerate in obtaining the necessary licenses and authorizations, as well as complying with the conditions precedent in the lease agreement for the operation of the terminal. Excelerate's regasification vessel is positioned in TR-BA and, with the transfer of the operation, Excelerate can make natural gas available to the market. Any additional information on processes already concluded (lease of the TR-BA and access to the TR-PECEM) may be requested through the Access to Information Law (LAI).

We published, on 09/17/2021, the bidding procedure for exceptional access to TR-PECEM and Associated Facilities, in compliance with the determination of the Chamber of Exceptional Rules for Hydroenergetic Management (CREG), pursuant to Official Letter No. 14/2021/CREG- MME, of 08/09/2021, thus enabling the terminal's operational return in the context of the exceptional situation of water crisis in the country. The procedure was closed without receiving a commercial proposal. 

In addition to the processing and distribution agreements, we have signed natural gas swap agreements for the sale of processed gas at the output of the processing units. For the Campos Basin Complex (UTGCAB), we entered into a contract with Equinor, on 12/31/2021, for gas from Roncador, in the Campos Basin. The swap contracts are transitory in nature and promote earlier access to the necessary infrastructure, given that Petrobras processes the gas produced which, after this stage, is reacquired by the companies, allowing them to directly access the natural gas transportation and market. 

On 01/01/2022, the contracts for the distribution and processing of natural gas produced on land by Potiguar E&P (a subsidiary of PetroReconcavo) in the state of Rio Grande do Norte went into commercial operation.

We carried out the closing of Gaspetro, having completed the full divestment of that company on 07/11/2022.

On 08/01/2022, the Integrated Processing System (SIP) came into operation, after completion of the conditions precedent of the processing contract with Petrogal Brasil at the Cabiúnas Gas Treatment Unit (UTGCAB).

On 12/23/2022, we entered into disposal (SIE-BS) and processing (SIP) contracts with CNOOC, which entered into commercial operation on 01/01/2023.

Catu Complex: contracts entered into, on 12/31/2021, with PetroRecôncavo, relating to gas from the Remanso and Miranga Complexes, with Origin, on 01/01/2022, relating to gas from the Tucano Sul Complex and with 3R, on 05/29/2022, regarding gas from the Recôncavo and Rio Ventura Complexes.

We signed a contract to reduce flexibility and amendments to Legacy GTAs with NTS on 09/30/2022, allowing third parties to access the transportation system. These contracts are intended to adjust the transportation service contracts in force, so that carriers, under the supervision of the ANP, can offer the remaining available capacity to the market, in the entry and exit regime, it should be noted that, even before the aforementioned contracts are executed, access under the interruptible modality was already possible. As a result, the transportation systems of the TAG, NTS and TBG carriers (which already offer available capacity since 01/01/2020) are accessible for contracting in all existing modalities by other users.

On 12/28/2022, with companies PetroReconcavo, Origin Energia and 3R Petroleum, we signed contracts for the distribution and processing of natural gas produced on land in the state of Bahia. The contracts started on 03/01/2022, after compliance with the conditions precedent, with emphasis on the issuance of a decree by the Government of the State of Bahia, which was necessary for the operationalization of the distribution contracts.

On 12/23/2022, we entered into disposal (SIE-BS) and processing (SIP) contracts with CNOOC, which entered into commercial operation on 01/01/2023.

On 01/01/2023, after compliance with the conditions precedent, the processing contract at the UTGCAB with Shell Energy Brasil Gás entered into commercial operation.

On 01/01/2023, after compliance with the conditions precedent, the processing contract at UTGCA with Petrogal Brasil Comercializadora entered into commercial operation.