Fuel distributors in Bahia are seeking gasoline and cooking gas in Pernambuco to compensate for the drop in product supply caused by operational problems at the former Landulpho Alves Refinery (Rlam). Rlam was sold during the government of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL) to the Mubadala fund, from the United Arab Emirates, and was renamed the Mataripe Refinery.
According to a complaint from the Oil Workers Union of Bahia (Sindipetro-BA), for around a week the refinery has been unable to start some of its refining units. Radiovaldo Costa, director of Communications at Sindipetro-BA, stated that the breakdown affects gasoline and gas producing plants. Due to the lack of production, stock replenishment was affected, creating a risk of shortages.
Acelen, a company created by Mubadala to manage the former Rlam, confirmed its units responsible for the production of gasoline and LPG are “under unscheduled maintenance”, without giving further details on the matter. The company reported that it is adopting all possible measures to reduce the possibility of an impact on the supply of products to the market, which includes purchasing an extra load of LPG to reinforce stocks and supply supplies during the shutdown.
The National Petroleum Agency (ANP) reported that it is “monitoring the situation in Bahia and, at the moment, does not identify any risk to supply”. The agency revealed that fuel distributors are purchasing in other states to meet their demand. “The Agency has been in contact with distributors, who have reported being able to bring fuel from other sources (such as, for example, the Port of Suape) to complement the offer from the Mataripe Refinery”, he stated in a note.
Privatization
The old Rlam was sold in March 2021. The sale was made for R$1.65 billion dollars, around R$8.25 billion at the time. According to assessments by the Institute for Strategic Petroleum Studies (Inep), however, it was worth at least twice that.
Considering this calculation, a complaint was made by the Single Federation of Oil Workers (FUP) to the Federal Audit Court (TCU). The agency saw no irregularities in the business. Today, however, Petrobras itself and the General Comptroller of the Union (CGU) are evaluating whether the privatization was done well by the state-owned company.
While this is still happening, Acelen continues to manage Rlam. The company took over the refinery in December 2021. Since then, it has started to charge higher prices than those of Petrobras, thus putting pressure on the final prices paid by consumers.
Until mid-April, while Petrobras refineries sold gasoline to distributors for R$2.81 per liter, Acelen sold it for R$3.14. While a gas cylinder cost R$31.66 at Petrobras, at Acelen it cost R$42.56 – before the unscheduled shutdown. The data are from the Petroleum Social Observatory (OSP).
Problems
In addition to the price issue, the change in the refinery’s management imposed fuel supply problems on Bahia. Rlam is the only producer of gasoline and gas in the state. Since it was privatized, it has faced breakdowns.
As soon as it took over the former Rlam, Acelen stopped supplying ships that pass through the Port of Salvador. According to the company, this occurred because it did not have ferries to transport fuel oil to vessels.
In November 2022, Acelen reduced its gas production and caused a shortage of cylinders in Bahia. At the time, the company was also forced to bring gas from other locations to serve distributors.
Layoffs
According to Costa, from Sindipetro-BA, the most recent problem in the production of gasoline and gas occurs shortly after layoffs carried out by Acelen. He recalled that, after Carnival, the company laid off more than a hundred employees and was even notified by the union seeking explanations.
“Problems in the operation of a refinery happen, but Acelen takes a long time to resolve them. It does not have management prepared for the business”, complained Costa, who believes that this has to do with a lack of personnel prepared for the service.
Renationalization
Considering the problems linked to privatization, oil workers demand from the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) the renationalization of the former Rlam. The Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira (PSD), and the president of Petrobras, Jean Paul Prates, have already admitted that the matter is being studied, but have not made any decision.
Costa, who monitors the issue, believes that Petrobras should indeed resume management of Rlam, keeping Acelen and Mubadala as partners.
Acelen reported that, in two years, it has already invested more than R$2 billion in the revitalization and recovery of the Mataripe Refinery, in the “largest modernization program in its history”. The company expects its operations to normalize in nine days.
Acelen reinforced that gas stations and fuel distributors operating in the Bahian market did not identify the lack of gasoline and diesel. He also stated that, if necessary, there is the possibility of importing these products. “For this reason, there is no need to talk about shortages,” he declared.
Editing: Thalita Pires
