The location and scale of what will likely be key hubs for integrating biomethane production into Brazil's natural gas markets are starting to become clearer, according to a federal study released this month.
Southeastern states Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro are home to much of the country's biomethane production, with almost 547,770 m³/d in operation and 545,200 m³/d expected by 2027, according to hydrocarbons regulator ANP data. The cities of Sertaozinho in Sao Paulo state and Seropedica in Rio de Janeiro are two specific locations that the study from federal research bureau EPE points to as likely hubs for activity.
The Sertaozinho-area hub would connect biomethane production to the Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolivia-Brasil's (TBG) pipeline in Sao Carlos. The study sees the potential injection of 600,000-1mn m³/d of biomethane from sugar-ethanol plants in the region, considering their possible annual capacity and seasonality, as well as demand availability limitations, such as sugarcane plants usage of the fuel to substitute diesel internally.
The study also suggests the creation of a pipeline connecting waste management and biomethane company Gas Verde's Seropedica biomethane plant in Rio de Janeiro to the NTS pipeline in Japeri. EPE considered a 204,000 m³/d potential injection from the new entry point. Building the pipeline would take Gas Verde's letter of intent with NTS to inject 120,000 m³/d in Japeri a step further and allow for direct injection into the pipeline.
Both Transportadora Associada de Gas (TAG) and TBG announced initiatives to create biomethane hubs last year. The companies intend to launch projects to determine where to add entry points into their systems, either by combining volumes from many small producers or by allowing larger producers to transport their gas further away.
TAG, which runs along Brazil's coastline from the northeastern Ceara state to Rio de Janeiro in the southeast, is more likely to combine production from small plants scattered across the region. TBG, connecting the southeastern region to Bolivia, eyes bigger producers in Sao Paulo state.
