US EditionPetrobras Drilling Spurs Migrant Surge in Brazil's Oiapoque
Petrobras’ offshore plans have drawn thousands of newcomers as officials weigh licensing risks and locals seek jobs and royalties.
- Oiapoque, Brazil, is experiencing a rush of migrants after Petrobras, Brazil's state-run oil company, secured environmental licensing last year for offshore drilling in the Equatorial Margin, about 180 kilometers off Amapa's coast.
- Preliminary estimates suggest the offshore site could hold up to 10 billion barrels, potentially worth about $719.7 billion, drawing workers like Reginaldo Nunes Fonseca seeking employment in the impoverished region.
- Despite potential wealth, the city ranks among Brazil's poorest, with about 72% of residents living in extreme poverty and less than 2% of households having adequate sewage systems, according to Agenda Publica and the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics.
- Renata Lod, a representative on Oiapoque's Indigenous council, warned that "disorganized population growth" and potential oil spills threaten local ecosystems, noting most Indigenous lands are flooded wetlands where "there's no way to remove it."
- Previous booms in cities like Coari offer a warning, as those areas faced decline cycles despite oil exploration, highlighting the broader dilemma of whether resource revenue can successfully transform local economies.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Oil drilling fuels a migrant surge in isolated city in Brazil's Amazon
Exploratory oil drilling off the coast of Brazil's Amazon rainforest are reshaping life in Oiapoque, a small city in the poor state of Amapa that is receiving thousand of migrants looking for work.
Oil drilling fuels a migrant surge in isolated city in Brazil’s Amazon
Exploratory oil drilling off the coast of Brazil's Amazon rainforest is reshaping life in Oiapoque, a small city in the poor state of Amapa that is receiving thousand of migrants looking for work.
The Washington Post
Takeaways from AP’s story on how oil drilling is fueling a migrant surge in Brazil's Amazon
Exploratory oil drilling off the coast of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest is reshaping life in Oiapoque, a small city in the poor state of Amapa that is receiving thousand of migrants looking for work
Associated Press News
'I'm going there.' Oil drilling fuels a migrant surge in isolated city in Brazil's Amazon
Exploratory oil drilling off the coast of Brazil's Amazon rainforest are reshaping life in Oiapoque, a small city in the poor state of Amapa that is receiving thousand of migrants looking for work.
Washington Top News
The Seattle Times‘I’m going there.’ Oil drilling fuels a migrant surge in isolated city in Brazil’s Amazon
OIAPOQUE, Brazil (AP) — On a recent morning, Reginaldo Nunes Fonseca smoked cigarettes from the porch of his friend's wooden shack, watching the rain come down…
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