The conflict positions Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira, backed by industrial sector advocates, against Petrobras, which operates the processing plants and flow pipelines while remaining the primary buyer of Union gas. Petrobras opposes MME’s attempts to regulate infrastructure access tariffs. The regulatory saga began in 2023 with launch of the “Gas to Employ” program aimed at reducing industrial gas prices through competitive Union gas auctions managed by PPSA.
The government’s urgency received reinforcement from a March decision by federal audit court TCU, which identified implementation gaps in the Gas to Employ program and ordered ANP to adopt transparency measures within 180 days. These include creating a portal displaying nominal and available capacities, tariff ranges, and contract summaries for infrastructure operations. MME Secretary Renato Dutra’s letter argues that current market configurations enable difficult and unbalanced access negotiations, with operators exercising excessive power. The lack of robust economic regulation for access pricing undermines legal guarantees of non-discriminatory third-party access, creating conditions for economic abuse according to the ministry.
The ANP meeting also addresses contentious LPG market reforms and potential changes to gas pipeline operators’ remuneration methodology, issues that have divided industry stakeholders throughout 2025 and into 2026.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
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