São Paulo – Wealth funds from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, have shown to be interested in gas pipelines to be privatized by Petrobras. The information was disclosed in an interview to ANBA by the director general of the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), Décio Oddone (pictured above) this Wednesday (25).
ANP’s director general met with representatives of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (AD Council) last week, on April 15 and 16, as part of a trip abroad to promote investment opportunities in Brazil in the oil and gas sector. He also visited London, England.
Oddone said that many meetings with the two wealth funds took place and that they have shown to be interested in the sales of assets by Petrobras, in gas pipelines in northeast Brazil. The director pointed out, however, that, still, nothing has been signed. He spoke with the wealth funds about the auctions in the oil and gas sectors and Brazil’s infrastructure sector.
“The resume of activities regarding oil and gas investments is attracting the attention of the world’s investors,” said Oddone, adding that it’s also attracting the attention of Arabs. The sales of assets by Petrobras have no links to ANP, but it’s the agency that regulates the country’s oil, gas and biofuel sector and organizes the auctions.
Oddone said that Arab investments in the oil and gas sector in Brazil are nothing new. “What’s happening is that now the activity has pick up the pace,” he said on the auctions being held in the sector. He also recalled the recent fact that Qatar Petroleum purchased two oil exploration blocks in Brazil, in a consortium with ExxonMobil. He also mentioned the investments by the wealth fund Mubadala in the sector.
According to the agency, the next oil and gas auctions rounds, and the permanent offer of exploration areas were presented by ANP in this trip organized to promote investment opportunities, according to the agency. In all, 17 meetings, with the presence of 40 banks, wealth funds and exploration and production operators, took place.
Oddone also spoke in the seminar A Sea of Opportunities in the Oil & Gas Sector, organized by Brazil’s embassy in London, to around 200 of the sector’s professionals.
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
