Business · Energy & Commodities · 2 hrs ago
Opinion urges action on Petrobras’ influence in Brazil’s gas market
An opinion piece says Petrobras’ influence over Brazil’s gas supply and infrastructure is helping keep costs high.
The company controls 65% of national production and about 90% of processing, according to the piece.
It cites a Ministry of Mines and Energy diagnosis that gas costs rise from US$2.86 per MMBTU at the wellhead to US$12.08 at the pipeline entrance.
The piece says this gap costs the productive sector R$15 billion a year and places pressure on industries that use large amounts of energy.
It argues that limited access to infrastructure and a lack of price transparency weaken competition.
The author calls for Brazil’s competition regulator, Cade, to investigate, and backs government proposals to open the market, including the Gas Release program.
Those measures could increase supply and lower prices, though the piece does not say when they might take effect.
An opinion article argues that Petrobras’ control of key parts of Brazil’s natural gas chain lets it influence supply, prices and access to infrastructure.
It says gas costs rise from US$2.86 per MMBTU at the wellhead to US$12.08 at the entrance to pipelines.
The article says Petrobras controls 65% of national production and about 90% of processing.
It calls for Brazil’s competition authority, Cade, to investigate possible abuse of a dominant position.
It supports proposals to open up the market, including the Gas Release programme and a policy for allocating government-owned gas.
- Who
- Petrobras is the company at the centre of the article’s criticism. The article also discusses Cade, the Ministry of Mines and Energy and the national oil and gas regulator, ANP.
- What
- An opinion article urges action over Petrobras’ influence in Brazil’s natural gas market and backs measures to increase competition.
- When
- The article was published on 17 October 2026.
- Where
- Brazil’s natural gas market.
- Why
- The article says concentration of supply and control of infrastructure contribute to high costs, limited access and restricted supply.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Wellhead gas cost
- US$2.86 per MMBTU
- Gas cost at pipeline entry
- US$12.08 per MMBTU
- Petrobras share of national production
- 65%
- Petrobras share of gas processing
- About 90%
- Estimated annual amount extracted from productive sectors
- R$15 billion
1 source
What people are saying
We expect the Administrative Council for Economic Defense to investigate the abuse of a dominant position.
The industry supports it.