Brazil is expecting it will reach 2015 with a surplus in the natural gas supply of about 152 million cubic meters per day, 24 million cubic meters above the consumption forecasted for that year.
The announcement was made by the president of the Energetic Research Company (EPE), Maurício Tolmasquim, who in a lecture at Rio Oil & Gas presented the estimates indicating that the demand in the country will go from 60 million cubic meters per day, in 2006, to 128 million cubic meters in 2015.
The greatest share of this demand, according to Tolmasquim, will be by the concessionary companies for natural gas distribution, with consumption of 60 million cubic meters per day, while the thermoelectric plants will account for a daily consumption of 47 million cubic meters.
The industrial consumption by the Brazilian oil company Petrobras, he added, will reach 21 million cubic meters per day.
Up to 2008, he said, the country should face difficulties in supplying the internal market, but on the following year "the situation will be calmer and in 2011 the production should already be a little above internal demand."
Amazon Water
The Brazilian government and the World Bank signed September 15 a donation agreement for the project "Integrated Handling of the Aquatic Biodiversity and Water Resources of the Amazon (Aquabio)".
According to the Ministry of the Environment, US$ 17 million will be invested in preservation and sustainable use of the aquatic natural resources of the region.