Mongabay · Natuur

Mexico-Brazil oil deal raises concern for ecosystems and energy transition

A two-year partnership between Mexico's Pemex and Brazil's Petrobras to explore oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico has sparked environmental concerns, with critics fearing it could lead to decades of fossil fuel emissions and pollution, particularly near sensitive marine habitats.

The collaboration between state-owned oil companies Pemex (Mexico) and Petrobras (Brazil), announced in June, aims to jointly explore mature and deepwater oilfields in the Gulf of Mexico. While details remain scarce, exploration may focus on the Bay of Campeche, close to a large marine protected area and vulnerable reef ecosystems. Environmental groups warn this deal could lock both nations into continued fossil fuel production and increase the risk of oil spills.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the companies outlines cooperation to "increase production in deepwater" and "mature fields." While supporters hope the partnership could improve safety records at Pemex, which has experienced recent incidents like an explosion and an oil spill, environmentalists and energy researchers question the deal's terms and consequences. Concerns include potential impacts on coastal communities and the displacement of ecosystems.

Transparency surrounding the deal is a major issue, with campaigners calling for more information. Energy researcher Leonardo Beltran Rodriguez suggested that while learning from Petrobras's practices could improve Pemex's safety, the lack of public disclosure is problematic. He noted that financial transparency obligations, due to international debt trading, might eventually reveal more than domestic regulations.

Environmentalists also worry that focusing on mature and deepwater wells could increase the likelihood of spills reaching coastal habitats and that deepwater drilling is inherently riskier. Analysis indicates that safety and environmental incidents rise with well depth. The potential for Petrobras to develop offshore blocks in the Gulf of Mexico is seen by some as undermining Mexico's energy independence narrative.

The exploration may target a deep area off Campeche, near Mexico's Southern Gulf of Mexico Reefs National Park, the largest marine protected area in the Gulf. Although drilling is banned within the park, nearby deepwater drilling could pose a significant pollution risk to the reef habitats, which are crucial for biodiversity and connectivity.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has downplayed the deal's significance, emphasizing renewable energy investments and stating that any new oil wells would not produce before 2030. She suggested Pemex might share expertise in fertilizer production in exchange for Petrobras's oil exploration knowledge, assuring that Mexico would retain control. However, critics like Greenpeace's Nancy Viridiana Lázaro Lembrino argue this move contradicts Sheinbaum's past environmental credentials and that the government has also reopened Mexico to fracking development.

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