Why Brazil gas import authorizations are growing

Brazil registered 27 new gas import authorizations in 2024, up 125% from the previous year, according to data from watchdog ANP. 

Thiago Luiz Silva, of the Vieira Rezende Advogados law firm, said the hike was motivated by three factors. 

The first is the renewal of authorizations by local companies, including thermoelectric generators that already have contracts in the regulated environment using liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Last year, Brazil experienced a serious drought, which forced the dispatch of additional gas-fired plants and increased fuel imports. 

The second reason, according to Silva, is the operations of natural gas trading companies seeking market positioning and portfolio diversification with LNG and Argentine natural gas.

“The other motivation is that companies are preparing for the 2025 backup capacity tender,” the lawyer told BNamericas. 

Of the authorizations granted by ANP last year, 15 were for natural gas and 12 for LNG.

Source: BNamericas based on ANP data. 

The natural gas imports are carried out through the Bolivia-Brazil gas pipeline (Gasbol), which is operated by Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolívia-Brasil (TBG), or via the pipeline grid owned by Transportadora Sulbrasileira de Gás (TSB), on the border with Argentina. 

LNG mostly arrives in Brazil through the seven regasification terminals currently in operation: Guanabara bay and Açu port in Rio de Janeiro, TRSP in São Paulo, TGS in Santa Catarina, TRBA in Bahia, Hub Sergipe in Sergipe and Barcarena in Pará.

Rogério Manso, president of gas transporters’ association ATGás, said that with the reversal of flow in northern Argentina, there is an expectation that during low demand periods in the neighboring country, outside winter, there will be capacity to send gas to Brazil via Gasbol.

"All traders want to participate, even if in small volumes," Manso told BNamericas, recalling that last year three new LNG terminals in Sergipe, São Paulo and Santa Catarina were connected to Brazil’s transport grid.

According to ANP, there are currently 35 companies authorized to import natural gas and/or LNG in Brazil:

Company	Type
Alpha LNG Ltda.	LNG
Âmbar Energia S.A.	Natural gas
Blueshift Geração e Comercialização de Energia Ltda.	LNG
BTG PACTUAL COMMODITIES (BR) S.A.	Natural gas
CELBA - CENTRAIS ELÉTRICAS BARCARENA S.A.	LNG
Centrais Elétricas de Sergipe S.A. - CELSE	LNG
CH4 Energia Ltda.	LNG
Companhia Mato-Grossense de Gás - MTGÁS	Natural gas
Delta Comercializadora de Gás Ltda.	Natural gas
Delta Comercializadora de Gás Ltda.	LNG
E.M.I.A. Global Ltda.	LNG
Edge Comercialização S.A.	Natural gas
Edge Comercialização S.A.	LNG
ENEVA S.A	LNG
GALP ENERGIA BRASIL S.A	Natural gas
GÁS BRIDGE COMERCIALIZADORA S.A.	Natural gas
GÁS BRIDGE COMERCIALIZADORA S.A.	LNG
JUPITER GAS NATURAL LTDA	Natural gas
Karpowership Brasil Energia Ltda. (KPS Brasil)	LNG
Logás Logística e Distribuição de Gás S.A.	LNG
MGAS COMERCIALIZADORA DE GÁS NATURAL LTDA.	Natural gas
MTX Comercializadora de Gás Ltda.	Natural gas
MTX Comercializadora de Gás Ltda.	LNG
NFE POWER DISTRIBUIDORA DE GAS NATURAL LTDA.	LNG
NFE POWER LATAM PARTICIPAÇÕES E COMÉRCIO LTDA.	LNG
NFE POWER LATAM PARTICIPAÇÕES E COMÉRCIO LTDA.	Natural gas
PAN AMERICAN ENERGY DO BRASIL LTDA.	Natural gas
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - PETROBRAS	Natural gas
PONTE NOVA COMERCIALIZADORA DE GÁS LTDA.	Natural gas
Shell Energy do Brasil Gas Ltda.	LNG
Shell Energy do Brasil Gas Ltda.	Natural gas
SPE 2 Itaguaí Energia Ltda.	Natural gas
SPE II Centrais Elétricas Ltda.	Natural gas
TOTALENERGIES EP BRASIL LTDA.	Natural gas
TOTALENERGIES GÁS & ELETRICIDADE BRASIL LTDA.	Natural gas
Tradener Ltda.	Natural gas
UTE GNA I GERAÇÃO DE ENERGIA S.A.	LNG
UTE GNA II Geração Energia	LNG
VITOL DO BRASIL LTDA.	Natural gas
YPFB ENERGIA DO BRASIL LTDA.	Natural gas

Source: ANP

Recent authorizations 

At the end of January, ANP greenlighted MTX Comercializadora de Gás to import LNG. 

The authorized volume is 15Mm3 per year, with the aim of serving all Brazilian regions. 

MTX is a subsidiary of Matrix Energia, an integrated platform for energy-saving solutions. 

In 2024, the company received authorizations from ANP to commercialize natural gas and import the fuel from Argentina and Bolivia. 

BTG Pactual Commodities has been authorized to import up to 2Mm3/d of natural gas from Argentina and Bolivia to serve all Brazilian regions. 

The gas will arrive via pipeline at delivery points in Corumbá in Mato Grosso do Sul, Cuiabá in Mato Grosso and Uruguaiana in Rio Grande do Sul.

In December, ANP authorized Edge Comercialização, of the Cosan group, to import up to 10Mm3/d of natural gas from the neighboring countries, with arrival points in Corumbá and Uruguaiana.