Rio de Janeiro – Industries were responsible for the 16.12% increase in natural gas sales recorded in the first half in Brazil, according to the Brazilian Natural Gas Distributors Association (Abegas). The Brazilian industry used 25.3 million cubic metres per day during the period. The figure represents a 28.80% increase in consumption, which had declined in the previous year as a consequence of the international crisis. Industrial use of gas accounted for 60.36% of total natural gas consumption during the period.
The coordinator of the Electric Sector Study Group (Gesel) at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Nivalde de Castro, told Agência Brasil today (12th) that these are good news, because the share that natural gas has in the Brazilian energy matrix is increasing.
To him, the resumption of industrial gas consumption "places natural gas production in a very positive scenario, as a result of these new discoveries made by Petrobras, and especially the pre-salt layer, which will effectively lead to an increase in the share of natural gas in the Brazilian energy matrix."
Castro emphasized that the industrial sector is confirming the use of this energy input in the production process. "Brazil is going to be a major producer of natural gas, probably at lower prices, and that should make the Brazilian industry more competitive with regard to energy."
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
