The Arayara Institute, an NGO working against fossil fuels, informed the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) about a "possible" oil leak 438 km off the coast of Amapá. According to the NGO, the leak may have originated from a vessel. The letter was sent to Ibama last Tuesday (30).
The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change were also notified. There is no confirmation of the existence of an oil leak, which would only be possible through an on-site verification, according to the institute. This verification would also face difficulties since the satellite image used for the suspected leak is from September 2023.
Additionally, as per Arayara, the point of the alleged leak is outside the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the area beyond the territorial sea over which Brazil exercises sovereignty. There are doubts about who should act in the event of an oil leak in this area, claimed by the country for the extension of the EEZ, according to the NGO. On Thursday afternoon (1st), the executive secretary of the Ministry of Environment, João Paulo Capobianco, told Reuters that the government is seeking information about the alleged leak in international waters. Ibama is checking satellite data and collaborating with the Navy to identify ships that passed through the area, according to the secretary.
Folha reached out to Ibama to comment on the possibility of an oil spill, but there was no response at the time of publication. The detected stain reportedly covers an area of 170 km2, as stated in Arayara's letter, making it a significant incident.