+55 (41) 9 8445 0000 arayara@arayara.org

Parnarama reports shale gas exploration research

Councilors and deputy mayor of the Maranhão city say that the actions of oil companies were carried out silently

 

What is fracking?

Fracking – also called hydraulic fracturing – is a process that involves injecting large volumes of water, chemicals and sand at high pressure into underground rock layers to release trapped natural gas. Despite being a technique already used in several countries, it is controversial because it causes environmental and ecological damage, including contamination of groundwater, release of greenhouse gases, induced earthquakes, etc.

 

Parnarama, Maranhão, participated in a training session, on September 12, 2022, in the plenary of the City Council, which dealt with the risks and problems caused by fracking. The event was attended by councilors from the municipality and neighboring cities, representatives of community health agents, quilombolas and members of the rural workers’ union. In addition to the deputy mayor and members of civil society, who closely followed the hearing. In addition to members of COESUS – Coalition No Fracking Brazil for Water and Life, a campaign by the Arayara International Institute.

After the hearing, the councilors spoke about companies that had carried out research in the municipality during the previous administration. They reported that a large convoy consisting of several pickup trucks, jeeps and five nine-axle trucks carrying drilling equipment traveled through the region. The trucks transported the equipment, which was assembled in a complex containing overnight containers for employees, an ambulance for emergency cases, tow trucks and other necessary equipment.

According to the councilors, the whole process was carried out quickly, without consulting the population. One of the parliamentarians, who previously did not hold public office, reported having questioned one of the company’s employees, but the responses were evasive. “As soon as they arrived and performed their deeds, they departed in silence.”

The deputy mayor of the municipality, Gilson Moura (Gilson Da Silva Leite), from the PCdoB, reported to the COESUS team that he saw several company jeeps circulating both in the city and in rural areas. When approaching them, he did not obtain any satisfactory explanation. In addition, the deputy mayor informed that both he and the mayor will approve a law against the hydraulic fracturing technique in the municipality.

Councilor Querida Moura (Eliane Geisteira de Moura Leite), from the PP, stated that she was aware of the presence of the trucks and sent a video to the COESUS team, dated January 18, 2008, showing the community of Paiol do Centro, located 50 km from the municipal seat, during a flood. The video reveals an overflow of the river that resembles an explosion, raising the water level by 2 meters, according to the councilwoman. Technician Isaías Lima da Silva, from Trat’Água, was present at the site along with teachers from the community of Paiol do Centro.

Three years before the video, in the same location, 40 head of cattle disappeared to the ground in a kind of quicksand. They tried to rescue some animals, but they were lifeless. Several cracks and a large crater with water were observed at the site. According to the explanation of the technician responsible for collecting materials at the site, the cracks and craters are the result of explosions caused by the production of carbon dioxide, which comes from a natural process of decomposition of organic matter from animals and plants.

This gas penetrates the fissures of the rocks and, in the absence of oxygen, anaerobic explosions occur, releasing the gas into the atmosphere. As a result, the ground gives way, causing cracks and craters. The technician recommended isolating the area to avoid accidents and stated that the crater could swallow the forest around it. At the time of recording the video, no action had been taken.

These alarming events highlight the need for careful monitoring and planning of activities carried out in the municipality, in order to protect the environment, the population and the local fauna. It is essential that local authorities are aware of the potential impacts of these actions and promote community participation in decisions that directly affect their lives and the ecosystem in which they are inserted.

Compartilhe

Share on whatsapp
WhatsApp
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

Enviar Comentário

O seu endereço de e-mail não será publicado. Campos obrigatórios são marcados com *

Redes Sociais

Posts Recentes

Receba as atualizações mais recentes

Faça parte da nossa rede

Sem spam, notificações apenas sobre novidades, campanhas, atualizações.

Leia também

Posts relacionados

Leilão de Energia de 2026 expõe contradições e favorece carvão e gás, apontam especialistas

O Leilão de Reserva de Capacidade na Forma de Potência de 2026 (LRCAP 2026), anunciado no final de agosto pelo Ministério de Minas e Energia (MME), reacendeu o debate sobre os rumos da política energética brasileira. Apesar de ser apresentado como mecanismo para garantir segurança elétrica em meio ao avanço das fontes renováveis intermitentes, o certame vem sendo criticado por

Leia Mais »

Estudo sobre impactos da sísmica é apresentado à comunidade pesqueira durante a Pré-COP dos Oceanos

Evento organizado pela Comissão Nacional de Fortalecimento das Reservas Extrativistas e dos Povos e Comunidades Extrativistas Costeiros e Marinhos (CONFREM) reuniu lideranças extrativistas de todo o Brasil e fortaleceu a parceria com o Instituto Internacional Arayara na luta contra os impactos da exploração de petróleo no mar. No dia 3 de setembro, durante a Pré-COP dos Oceanos, realizada na Semana

Leia Mais »

ARAYARA na Mídia: Justiça derruba decisão que cassava licença de operação de mina e UTE Candiota III

BRASÍLIA — A Justiça Federal restabeleceu a licença de operação da usina à carvão de Candiota III e da mina de Candiota. O desembargador Marcos Roberto Araújo dos Santos atendeu pedido da Âmbar Energia e suspendeu deliberação anterior que determinava ao Ibama e à Fundação Estadual de Proteção Ambiental do Rio Grande do Sul (Fepam) a interrupção da licença de

Leia Mais »

A Câmara do Comitê Interministerial sobre Mudanças Climáticas inicia os trabalhos com representantes da sociedade civil

A primeira reunião da CPS-CIM – Comitê de Participação Social contou com a presença da Arayara e de outras 44 entidades, marcando um passo importante rumo a uma política climática mais inclusiva. A recém-criada Câmara de Participação Social (CPS), instância consultiva do Comitê Interministerial sobre Mudança do Clima (CIM), realizou sua primeira reunião extraordinária no dia 2 de setembro, de

Leia Mais »