Project could inaugurate a new decade of destruction

In one of the most intact areas of Brazilian Amazonia, 700 kilometres from Manaus, the Petrobras company plans to construct two new gas pipelines in order to increase production at the Urucu oil and gas reserves. This project, among the twenty largest infrastructural projects in the country, is one of the riskiest and least publicised schemes which comprise the Avança Brasil programme. The route of the gas pipeline could open the doors for loggers, miners, farmers and agriculturalists to invade the area, provoking deforestation in virgin areas, inhabited by extremely isolated and vulnerable indigenous groups, such as the Apurinã, Paumari, Deni and Juma.

In 1998, Petrobras constructed the first part of the gas pipeline linking the Urucu reserve to the city of Coari, a distance of 280 kilometres.

Along its trajectory, the pipeline has had a disastrous impact on local communities and the forest. Petrobras now plans to construct two extensions. If the project goes ahead, it will have even more serious consequences as it "tears through" the Amazonian rainforest in its most intact and vulnerable region. The gas pipeline, by opening up this fragile region to colonisation, could inaugurate a new decade of destruction in Amazonia the like of which has not been seen since the construction of the Transamazonica highway.

The first gas pipeline, with an extension of 550 kilometres, would link Urucu and Porto Velho, the capital of Rondonia, and the second would link Coari to Manaus, a distance of 420 kilometres. Initially, Petrobras considered compressing the natural gas at a plant to be constructed in Urucu and transporting this gas in barges to Manaus, Porto Velho and other cities in Amazonas. In fact, it was with this plan that the construction of the Madeira waterway, which has already been completed, was justified. However, after the construction of the waterway this plan was abandoned and replaced by the construction of the gas pipelines.

In order to carry out the project, it will be necessary to construct two roads, with a width of between 15 and 30 metres, along the full extension of the gas pipelines. These roads would link the two largest cities in Brazilian Amazonia - Manaus and Porto Velho - opening up a new front of imigration, occupation and destruction.

The new gas pipelines will transport natural gas to electricity generating plants in Rondonia, Amazonas and Acre. The international energy company, El Paso, based in Houston in the United States, is the majority shareholder in the two largest generating plants which would benefit from the gas pipelines. El Paso already controls more than 76% of the electricity generated in the state of Amazonas and is becoming a leader in energy production in Rondonia.

Currently, the first part of the gas pipeline which would link the Urucu gas reserve and Porto Velho, is in the process of being licensed. After intense popular pressure and request from the Federal and State Public Ministries, IBAMA decided to postpone the public hearings which form part of the licensing process to allow more time for the project to be evaluated and for the Environmental Impact Studies to be carried out.

Environmental Licensing of Urucu's pipeline project is not possible

Official document presented by Friends of the Earth during the public hearing in Porto Velho about the pipeline project. Available only in Portuguese.

Document

Urucu gas reserve and pipeline threat Amazon Forest
Amazon Watch's report

News

Forest goes down the tube
Pipeline opens up new battleground between Petrobras and environmentalists
Date: 03/26/2002
Source: Carta Capital

Public hearing on gas pipeline in Labrea
Date: 03/04/2002
Source: CPT

Urucu: participants in public hearings show concern about the Petrobras project
Date: 02/28/2002
Source: Amazonia.org.br

Petrobras criticised during public hearing in Coari
Date: 02/19/2002
Source: Amazonia.org.br

Gas pipeline Environmental Impact Study does not propose solutions
Date: 02/16/2002
Source: A Crítica

Environmentalists question the Urucu-Porto Velho gas pipeline
Date: 02/15/2002
Source: OESP