en.Wedoany.com Reported - The board of Brazil's National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) has required Petrobras to revise the timeline for the revamp and modernization of its Gas Processing Unit (UTGCA) in Caraguatatuba, São Paulo state. The ANP believes the original schedule, set for completion by December 2031, needs to be advanced by 18 to 24 months.

After a joint analysis across four technical areas, the ANP concluded that the timeline proposed by the company is inconsistent with the need to expand domestic natural gas supply. The UTGCA modernization project is expected to increase daily natural gas supply by 9 million cubic meters between 2032 and 2037.

To this end, Petrobras must submit a new timeline within 30 days, which should include a shorter construction period and quantifiable targets that can be tracked by the regulatory agency. To avoid impacts on supply, the ANP has authorized, on an exceptional, temporary, and conditional basis, the continuation of natural gas sales from UTGCA until December 31, 2026.

The main intervention planned for the plant is to ensure that the processed natural gas meets the minimum methane content requirements stipulated by ANP regulations. The ANP stated it will continue to monitor the quality parameters of the gas processed at the facility. Whether the special authorization is extended beyond December 2026 will depend on the execution of the new revamp timeline and the progress of measures taken by Petrobras to meet regulatory requirements.