Brazil's oil regulator halts Petrobras drilling at Foz do Amazonas

Brazil’s regulator ANP has told Petrobras it cannot resume drilling at the Foz do Amazonas basin until the company provides information on a leak of synthetic fluid; the leak was reported as 18 cubic meters and the regulator plans an inspection in February.

Brazil's oil regulator ANP has told Petrobras it cannot resume offshore drilling in the Foz do Amazonas basin until the company provides information about a leak of synthetic drilling fluid. Foz do Amazonas is the delta where the Amazon River meets the Atlantic and is described as environmentally sensitive. Petrobras has said it contained the leak and that the fluid is biodegradable. The well began drilling in October and is the first of seven Petrobras plans to drill in the region. Reported details: - The ANP decision was recorded in documents signed on Wednesday and seen by Reuters. - ANP requires Petrobras to report the causes of the leak and the mitigation measures taken. - Petrobras told ANP at a Wednesday meeting that it did not know what caused the accident, according to the documents. - The leak was reported as 18 cubic meters, larger than an earlier figure of 15 cubic meters. - The regulator plans to inspect the drilling rig in February, and a source said drilling could resume before then; ANP declined to comment on inspection plans. Summary: Regulatory action prevents Petrobras from resuming drilling at the Foz do Amazonas until it provides a formal account of the leak and mitigation steps. The decision follows local concern from activists and Indigenous organisations about oil exploration in the sensitive delta. An ANP inspection is planned for February and a source said drilling could resume before then; ANP declined to confirm inspection details. The ultimate timeline for resuming operations is undetermined at this time.