Petrobras partners with mining firm Vale to accelerate development of low-carbon solutions in Brazil

From left, Petrobras President Jean Paul Prates and Vale CEO Eduardo Bartolomeo (Photo: Vale)

Brazilian mining company Vale signed a protocol of intent Sept. 28 with Petrobras to develop low-carbon solutions, taking advantage of the technical expertise of both companies and their synergies.

The partnership is for a two-year period and will assess joint decarbonization opportunities, including the development of sustainable fuels—such as hydrogen, green methanol, biobunkers, green ammonia and renewable diesel—and CO2 capture and storage technologies.

The initiative also includes potential commercial agreements for the supply of low-carbon fuels produced by Petrobras to be used in Vale's operations, which could contribute to the company's commitment to reducing its greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.

“Brazil has all the necessary conditions to lead a large-scale development of low-carbon solutions and renewable fuels, such as green hydrogen and green methanol,” said Eduardo Bartolomeo, Vale's CEO.

“Vale is firmly committed to reducing its carbon footprint and wants to be a protagonist in this journey, leveraging relevant actions for the energy transition in Brazil,” Bartolomeo continued. “This agreement with Petrobras fits perfectly into this context.”

Petrobras President Jean Paul Prates added, “Petrobras’ partnership with Vale will be strategic in driving the country’s energy transition. These are the two biggest Brazilian powers joining forces around a common purpose—to develop the most modern solutions to reduce GHG emissions. We are going to leverage the production capacity, logistical structure and technological expertise of two national giants to boost the production and supply of more efficient and sustainable fuels. This is what we can call being a first mover to materialize our decarbonization strategy, creating demand and scale for low-carbon solutions.”

This partnership can help Vale achieve its commitment to reduce its absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33 percent by 2030 and achieve neutrality by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement.