The company proposes that the first cycle should run from 2031 to 2034, if needed at all. Petrobras argues that initiating a competitive cycle should not automatically trigger successive gas release implementations, but rather establish a market monitoring interval by ANP. The release of gas from the dominant agent should only occur if deemed necessary through a specific regulatory process preceded by new regulatory impact analysis, public consultation and statements from Brazil’s Competition Defense System.
Petrobras maintains the program as currently designed creates immediate uncertainty for investment decisions, impacting supply increases and market reliability. The company also requested explicit provisions allowing early termination of the competitive cycle, stating that as an exceptional and temporary intervention of high intensity over contracting freedom and volume availability, the program should only remain valid while conditions justifying its adoption persist and competitive benefits exceed associated costs and risks.
On scope, Petrobras seeks to exclude gas produced by the company in Argentina and Bolivia and imported through the Bolivia-Brazil Gas Pipeline (Gasbol) from the deconcentration program. The company argues gas release should be limited exclusively to natural gas imported from independent third parties, not sourced directly or indirectly from own production, equity participations, commercialization rights or offtake contracts via Gasbol. ANP’s draft resolution preserves Petrobras’s own production but opens the path for mandatory cession of gas purchased from other producers and volumes imported through Gasbol.
The debate has intensified politically, with Petrobras escalating pressure on the Presidential Palace against advancing natural gas regulatory agenda. ANP Director Pietro Mendes pushed back against these pressures during a workshop on gas release, criticizing attempts at regulatory censorship. Of 49 participants in the public consultation, 43 positioned themselves in favor of creating the program, representing 88% support. ANP published the consolidated contributions report on October 5, 2026.
This article was curated and published as part of our South American energy market coverage.
