French supermajor Total has given up operatorship of five oil and gas exploration blocks offshore Brazil, Kallanish Energy reports.
The company said, in a statement on Monday, it had notified its partners Petrobras and BP on August 19 of its resignation in the environmental-sensitive Foz do Amazonas Basin.
In 2018, the Brazilian environment regulator Ibama rejected Total’s request for a permit to drill in the basin for a fifth and final time. The agency also denied Total’s appeal and maintained that oil exploration in the area would put at risk reefs and the local biodiversity.
Total didn’t explain the reason behind its decision to relinquish its operatorship status and whether it would continue to be a partner in the blocks FZA-M-57, FZA-M-86, FZA-M-88, FZA-M-125 and FZA-M-127.
Now that the decision has been informed to Brazil’s oil regulator ANP, Total will need to continue monitor all regulatory processes on behalf of its partners for a period of six months.
Within this period, a new operator will be appointed and operated activities will be handed over.
Total currently participates in 24 Brazilian O&G blocks, of which 10 as operator. The group’s activities in the country also include gas, renewables, lubricants, chemicals and distribution.
This post appeared first on Kallanish Energy News.