The natural gas distribution network in Alagoas is expected to expand from 2025, covering municipalities on the North and South coasts of the State. According to the company Gás de Alagoas (Algás), the project foresees an investment of R$80.9 million in the construction of pipelines to transport natural gas to these new regions.
The project is included in the so-called “Operational Routes for the Development of Natural Gas Distribution in Alagoas”, scheduled to take place between the years 2024 and 2029, which intends to include the municipalities of Marechal Deodoro and Barra de São Miguel, located on the South Coast, and Paripueira, Barra de Santo Antônio and São Luiz do Quitunde, on the North Coast, in the company’s areas of coverage for the supply of residential and industrial natural gas.
According to Algás, the Litoral Norte project foresees an investment of R$46 million, with a total length of 32 kilometers of gas pipeline to serve the cities foreseen in the plan.
The Litoral Sul project intends to invest R$34.9 million in the construction of 27 kilometers of pipelines.
Currently, the company has contracts with 83,011 residential units, of which 60.1 thousand are already connected and consuming the product. Another 22,847 units are under construction and will be interconnected in the coming years. The gas is taken to homes and commercial establishments through High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pipelines, which correspond to 368 km of piping and 232 km of steel.
The cities of Arapiraca, Atalaia, Maceió, Marechal Deodoro, Messias, Igreja Nova, Penedo, Pilar, Rio Largo, Santa Luzia do Norte, São Miguel dos Campos, São Sebastião and Satuba are currently supplied with natural gas via pipes. .
Maceió currently has the majority of residential customers who have opted for fuel to meet their daily demands. In the industrial segment, Algás has 42 consumer units including chemical, plastic, food and beverage, ceramics and other production sectors.
Thirty-four gas stations operate with natural gas, 25 of them in the capital and another nine distributed in the cities of Arapiraca, Atalaia, Pilar, Rio Largo, Messias, São Sebastião and Palmeira dos Índios.
Law should boost natural gas production in the state
The gas distribution network in the state is around 600 km long. In addition to the works to bring the fuel to more people and companies, the state Executive sanctioned the Gas Law in November last year, which regulates the direct exploitation – or through concession – of piped gas services in Alagoas.
The law establishes the minimum consumption for the free consumer of natural gas, allowing users to simultaneously purchase the product on the free market and the captive market, in addition to allowing the joint participation of concessionaires with free market agents in public calls for the acquisition of gas, aiming to obtain more competitive prices and conditions.
The new Brazilian Gas Law has been in force since 2021 and has established regulatory frameworks for the market, modifying activities related to the transportation, flow, treatment, processing, underground storage, packaging, liquefaction, regasification and commercialization of natural gas.
Recently, the companies Origem and TAG confirmed a pioneering project in the country to store natural gas, in the municipality of Pilar. Origem already produces oil and natural gas in the municipality, being responsible for around 95% of gas production in Alagoas.
The total estimated investment for the project will be up to approximately US$200 million, around R$1 billion, divided into different stages.
According to a bulletin from the National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP), in March, Alagoas production of natural gas was 1,264.93 thousand cubic meters per day (Mm³/d), with Origin Alagoas responsible for 1,256.26 Mm³ /d of total production.
Read more: AL will have an investment of R$1 billion to store natural gas
