Oil and Gas Exploration in Coari, Brazil

Description:

The Oil and Gas Province of Urucu holds about 24% of Brazilian gas reserves. The exploration of gas in the Coari region is the outcome of a project developed over the past 25 years by state company Petrobras. A gas pipeline with 397 kilometers linking the city of Coari to Manaus is being built to carry natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas to the industries of Zona Franca and to fuel its thermal power plants. The licensing process of this project was questioned by National and local EJOs due to its potential social and environmental impacts. The exploration of oil and gas in the Rain Forest also was questioned by these EJOs.

Basic Data

Name of conflict:	Oil and Gas Exploration in Coari, Brazil
Country:	Brazil
State or province:	Amazonas
Location of conflict:	Coari, Codajs, Manacapuru, Manaus, Anam, Iranduba, Anori, Caapiranga
Accuracy of location	HIGH (Local level)

Source of Conflict

Type of conflict. 1st level:	Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy
Type of conflict. 2nd level:	Oil and gas exploration and extraction Transport infrastructure networks (roads, railways, hydroways, canals and pipelines)
Specific commodities:	Crude oil Natural Gas

Project Details and Actors

Project details	000 barrels per day. See more 360 m3 gas per day. ton of LPG per day. (See less)
Level of Investment for the conflictive project	2.3 billion
Type of population	Rural
Start of the conflict:	2006
Company names or state enterprises:	Petróleo Brasileiro S.A (PETROBRAS) from Brazil
Relevant government actors:	Ministerio de Minas e Energia, Ministerio Publico Federal, Instituto Brasileiro de Meio Ambiente e Recursos Naturais Renovaveis - IBAMA, Instituto de Protecao Ambiental do Amazonas - IPAAM, Tribunal Regional Federal da 1 Regiao , Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuria , Agencia de Florestas e Negocios Sustentaveis do Amazonas (Afloram) Instituto de Desenvolvimento Agropecurio do Amazonas
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:	Grupo de Trabalho Amazonico (GTA), Amigos da Terra Brasil, Comissao Pastoral da Terra - CPT

Conflict & Mobilization

Intensity	LOW (some local organising)
Reaction stage	In REACTION to the implementation (during construction or operation)
Groups mobilizing:	Farmers Indigenous groups or traditional communities International ejos Local ejos Neighbours/citizens/communities Local scientists/professionals Religious groups Ribeirinhos
Forms of mobilization:	Development of a network/collective action Involvement of national and international NGOs Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism Media based activism/alternative media Objections to the EIA Parallel public audiences

Impacts

Environmental Impacts	Visible: Air pollution, Deforestation and loss of vegetation cover Potential: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Fires, Global warming, Soil contamination, Oil spills, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality
Health Impacts	Potential: Accidents, Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…)
Socio-economical Impacts	Potential: Displacement, Loss of livelihood, Violations of human rights, Land dispossession

Outcome

Project Status	In operation
Conflict outcome / response:	Court decision (victory for environmental justice) Court decision (failure for environmental justice) Strengthening of participation In october of 2006, the Federal Court of First Region granted an injunction suspending the building of the Coari-Manaus gas pipeline. However, in November, the injuction was lifted on appeal.
Proposal and development of alternatives:	Promotion of agroforestry systems
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:	No
Briefly explain:	The pipeline was built and the operation continues.

Sources & Materials

REPORTER BRASIL. Gasodutos opem desenvolvimento e preservao. Disponvel em: Acesso em: 26 nov.2008.
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Petrobras
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A CRTICA. Audincia mobiliza Coari. Disponvel em: Acesso em: 26 nov.2008.
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GRUPO DE TRABALHO AMAZONICO. Ribeirinhos e indgenas questionam gasoduto no Amazonas. Disponvel em: Acesso em: 26 nov.2008.
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Other comments:

The Urucu project is the major piece of greenwashing of Petrobras in Brazil. It is presented as a successful case of green economy.

Meta information

Contributor:	Diogo Rocha
Last update	18/08/2019
Conflict ID:	203