Is Petrobras’ New Discovery Reviving Brazil’s Pre-Salt Oil Boom?

Recently, we reported that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been pressing the country’s environmental regulators to approve oil drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River, arguing that revenue from this new fossil fuel supply could help finance a transition to green energy. Located in the Equatorial Margin, the offshore site, Bloc 59, is about 160 kilometers (99 miles) off Brazil’s eastern coast. Brazil’s environmental regulator rejected a license in 2023, citing issues such as the risk of oil spills that could…