Argus launches report as Brazil liberalizes gas market

9 December 2021

Brazil is opening its gas market to competition, taking steps to reduce the dominance of state-controlled Petrobras and provide opportunities to new entrants, both domestic and international. The freer market will mean that prices are driven by supply and demand. To provide price transparency for this rapidly changing environment, Argus has launched a new report — Argus Brazil Gas and Power.

Requests to open Brazil’s natural gas market have been in train since 2016. Private-sector companies and local gas distributors were able to take part in tenders for supply contracts for the first time this year. From next year, gas producers will no longer sell all their supply to Petrobras, but directly to customers. Private-sector companies will also have direct access to essential infrastructure, including processing units and pipelines.

The Argus Brazil Gas and Power report includes calculated gas prices, news, analysis, regulatory updates and comparisons with international gas (Henry Hub day-ahead), Brent crude (North Sea Dated) and LNG delivered to Brazil (LNG des Brazil) benchmarks.

Argus Media chairman and chief executive Adrian Binks said: “Argus is known for identifying and reporting on new markets, as soon as they are viable. We understand that as markets liberalise, there is a great need for information, as companies are preparing significant investment in an uncertain environment. Accurate, comprehensive and objective insight, as well as good quality data are vital to successful market liberalisation. We have worked closely with contacts inside and outside Brazil to put together a unique and high-value report that will help Brazil’s gas and power sector develop successfully.”