Marcela Leiros – from Cenarium Magazine
BRASILIA – The Financial Control and Inspection Commission of the House of Representatives will inspect, with the help of the Federal Audit Court (TCU), the information that Petrobras S.A. sold the Isaac Sabbá Refinery (Reman) for an amount corresponding to 70% of its value and without studies to determine the impact on the Northern Region of the country. The act was approved this Wednesday, the 29th. The refinery is the only one located in the Northern Region of the country.
The proposal was authored by Federal Lawmaker Leo de Brito (PT-AC). At the end of the deliberative meeting in which the proposal was approved, the congressman spoke about the risks that the sale of Reman will bring to the Northern Region. “The Brazilian people lose with this situation and so does the Northern Region, which is supplied by the company. So we ask for the TCU’s help so that this situation is investigated”, he said.
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Reman was sold for US$ 189 million, when the market value is US$ 279 million. The refinery produces LPG – the cooking gas -naft petrochemicals, gasoline, aviation kerosene, diesel oil, fuel oils, asphalt and oil for power generation. “The North Region depends a lot on the products produced by Reman, or imported by it”, emphasized the economist and technician from the Intersindical Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies (Dieese) Carlos Takashi.
The refinery has the capacity to supply the consumer market in the states of Pará, Amapá, Rondônia, Acre, Amazonas, and Roraima. Among Petrobras’ arguments for the sale are the increase in competition and the reduction in fuel prices. However, experts indicate that the privatization will form a private monopoly in the region, will offer risks of shortages and no guarantee of increased competitiveness and higher prices for the final consumer.
Value below market value
On Tuesday, 28, oil workers and members of the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas participated in the third public hearing in Congress to discuss and demonstrate the impacts of the sale of the only refinery located in the Northern Region of the country, the Isaac Sabbá Refinery (Reman), to the Atem Group. Now, the objective is to dialogue with the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (Cade) – which temporarily suspended the approval of the sale process – and the Federal Supreme Court (STF). The refinery belongs to Petrobras.
Cade approved, in May, without restrictions, the acquisition of Reman by Ream Participações, of Grupo Atem. However, after the approval, Counselor Lenisa Rodrigues Prado, from CADE’s Tribunal, requested that the collegiate review the process of the sale of Reman. The deadline expires in September of this year.
The federal lawmakers for Amazonas Sidney Leite (PSD), José Ricardo (PT) and Marcelo Ramos (PSD), as well as a representative of the Department of Statistics and Socioeconomic Studies (Dieese), the Union of Oil Workers of Amazonas (Sindipetro-AM), the Only Federation of Oil Workers (FUP), the Institute of Strategic Studies of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (Ineep) and Petrobras participated.
According to Dieese, Reman alone is responsible for approximately 17% of the total collected in taxes in the Amazon and 19% of the total Tax on Circulation of Goods and Services (ICMS).
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