Seismic Survey Resumes in Pelotas Basin

This Sunday, the Norwegian company TGS will resume seismic data collection in the Pelotas Basin, a region already targeted for oil and gas exploration studies. The halt was mandated by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) to reduce impacts on marine fauna during the period of highest fishing activity on the Rio Grande do Sul coast.

Environmental Pause Period

The environmental window, which suspended data acquisition between August 10 and October 10, was determined by Ibama. Even with the suspension, environmental programs continued, including beach monitoring and marine fauna tracking.

TGS Planning

TGS, responsible for an area of approximately 105,000 square kilometers, states that the halt was already foreseen in the campaign's planning, which is expected to continue until 2028. This was the first interruption since the start of the 3D seismic survey in the region. Another similar pause is scheduled between July and September 2027.

Parallel Conservation Activities

During the suspension period, researchers from the Federal University of Rio Grande (Furg) carried out a new phase of the Biodiversity Project, focused on gathering information about the marine fauna and environment in the Pelotas Basin. Teams identified species, collected biological samples, analyzed ecologies, and censused populations of animals such as sperm whales, pilot whales, and sea turtles, including through telemetry.

Potential Oil and Gas Reserves

The Energy Research Office (EPE) estimates that the basin could hold 9.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil equivalent, including 3.4 billion barrels of oil and 1 trillion cubic meters of natural gas. The region has 47 exploratory blocks under concession, with participation from companies such as Chevron and Petrobras. Seismic data is essential for understanding the geological structure and identifying potential hydrocarbon accumulations.

Fracking and the Pelotas Basin

The federal government has sought approval for fracking in the STJ (Superior Court of Justice) to define national conditions for unconventional oil and gas exploration. Renato Dutra, Secretary of Oil, Natural Gas, and Biofuels at the MME (Ministry of Mines and Energy), stated that the Pelotas Basin is a new productive frontier. If approved, fracking could be applied in the region, expanding well-to-reservoir contact and making the exploration of previously inaccessible resources economically viable.

Next Steps and Expectations

With the resumption of the seismic survey, TGS continues data collection which, combined with fracking studies, could open new exploration opportunities in the Pelotas Basin. As legal and regulatory processes advance, the region remains in the study phase, with no confirmation of commercial reserves yet.

With information from GZH, Poder360.