Petrobras to produce even more oil out of Pre-Sal

Credit: Petrobras

INT and Petrobras to develop technology to increase pre-salt productivity

The National Institute of Technology (INT) - a research unit of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC) - has signed a contract with Petrobras for the development of corrosion methodologies for operations that increase productivity in pre-salt wells based on acid stimulation techniques.

By this method, the oil extraction capacity is increased due to the use of an acidic substance in areas near the open well, which increases the permeability in to the ocean floor. This way, the oil and gas are removed from the rock more easily and are channeled to the exploration platforms. With a budget of R$5.6 million, the project will be developed by the Embrapii INT Unit. (Out of this amount, R$2.9 million will be invested by Petrobras itself.) The Brazilian Industrial Research and Innovation Company (Embrapii) - a social organization supervised by MCTIC - will contribute with R$1.9 million and while INT will provide R$800.000 for infrastructure and research.

This is the fourth project that will be developed by the Embrapii NIT Unit. According to the Institute's Business Coordinator, Vicente Landim, this agreement with Petrobras could mean the beginning of a series of projects to develop solutions for the exploration of oil and gas in the pre-salt layer in the future. "This partnership is part of our plan of action under Embrapii, and we hope it will be the first of many with Petrobras," said Petrobras. "It brings significant value to INT, because it is a recognition of our competences, "Landim said.

The work will be developed in INT's Laboratory of Test of H2S, CO2 and Corrosively (LabH2S), which tests high pressures and temperatures, without oxygen, simulating the extreme conditions of the pre-salt exploration wells. The laboratory is involved in projects to evaluate the integrity of materials and coatings, as well as the effectiveness of chemicals that minimize corrosion in the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Embrapii Unit

The Embrapii INT Unit works in the area of industrial chemical technology, including the development of chemical and physicochemical processes, as well as the development of organic and inorganic chemical technology.

42 New Projects for Smart Cities New Development

Credit: Ascom/MCTIC

MCTIC, Finep and FAPESP allocate R$65 million for the development of new technologies

Finep and the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP) announced on Tuesday (18) the support to 42 research projects for the industrial and commercial development of technologies for smart cities, zika virus and Aedes aegypti, Sirius accelerator and space applications. The projects were selected in four notices of the PIPE-PAPPE Program, in support of research in companies. In total, R$65 million will be allocated to resources from the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC), Finep and FAPESP.

"Programs like these are at the heart of all scientific, technological and innovation development in any country in the world. It is exactly the support for small and medium-sized companies that make up the dynamism, the creative energy in science and technology." President of Finep, Marcos Cintra.
One of the selected projects foresees the development of a natural long-lasting non-repellent for the prevention of the virus zika, dengue and chikungunya fever. Another is the construction of an unmanned train to monitor the tunnel that houses the electron beam on the Sirius accelerator, under construction at the National Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS) of the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM). The same technology could be used in the future to survey subway tunnels, mining galleries or ports.

There are also applications for sustainable cities, such as a traceability and telemetry system, which goes from the origin of waste to the transformation into recycled product, and a radio communication system for public lighting monitoring.

In the edict aimed at the space sector, projects that respond to the technological challenges in the embedded instrument areas of the Equars mission, satellite of the National Institute of Space Research (INPE) for study of equatorial atmosphere will be supported; Electronics and space optics; propulsion; Digital transponder and antenna; Energy supply; systems integration; And attitude and orbit control.

Brazil - European Union Cooperation

4th Call Brazil - European Union receives 50 proposals in cloud computing, IoT and 5G

The 4th Brazil-European Union Coordinated Call for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) research received 50 proposals, an increase of 28% over the previous call for proposals.

Of the total, 33 projects are in Internet of Things, 13 in cloud computing and 4 in 5G networks.

The number surpassed expectations, says project coordinator Wanderson Paim of the Research and Development Center on Digital Technologies for Information and Communication of the National Network of Teaching and Research (CTIC). "Generally, consortia consist of an average of five Brazilian institutions and five other European institutions, which must coordinate to write a proposal of about 100 pages, including a brief summary of the proposing researchers. The challenges begin from the formation of the consortium, which depends on the interests, the choice of topics and the focus of the proposals, to the proper writing and formatting. It is a joint effort that requires great effort from the coordinators," he explained.

According to him, the results should be released by July, and the execution of the projects should start in January 2018. In the 4th Coordinated Call, Brazil and the European Union will invest 16 million euros in six projects lasting three years. The objective is to encourage technological advancement and innovation, as well as the qualification of human resources. The so-called coordinates began in 2010. Among the projects supported are biosensors for detection of tropical diseases, a platform for sharing biodiversity data and sensors used in the automotive industry.

Brazil and India to cooperate in biotechnology studies

Credit: Ascom/MCTIC

Brazil and India should extend cooperation to areas of biotechnology, industry and health

The Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications (MCTIC), Gilberto Kassab, received the Indian ambassador in Brazil Sunil Lal on Tuesday (11th) to plan the resumption of the Joint Commission on Science and Technology.

The first and last bilateral meeting took place in New Delhi in March 2012. Since signing their Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in 2006, in the view of Sunil Lal, countries have maintained a flow of partnerships between countries.

"We still have a lot to do," commented the ambassador. "Our interest is to collaborate on agricultural, industrial and health biotechnology." In order to plan the second meeting of the Brazil-India Joint Commission on Science and Technology scheduled for the second semester in Brasilia, Kassab suggested holding a preparatory meeting in May at the embassy with representatives of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the Financing Agency for Studies and Projects (FINEP), the Secretariats of Technological Development and Innovation (SDEC), Development Policies and Programs and the Special Advisory for International Affairs of MCTIC.

At the New Delhi meeting in 2012, the two governments established a memorandum of understanding on biotechnology, which resulted in two public calls launched by NCSTD in 2013 and 2015. The bilateral bids stimulated scientific and technological cooperation projects in agriculture, focusing in sugarcane and second and third generation biofuels; Industry, for the development of biopharmaceuticals and vaccines; And health, in search of solutions for infectious and neglected diseases.

Another joint public call with the NCSTD, initiated in 2012, encouraged bilateral partnerships in health sciences and biomedical sciences; Renewable energies, energy efficiency and low carbon technologies; Engineering, materials science and nanotechnology; Geosciences, including oceanography and climate change; Mathematics and information technology and computing.

Brazil to produce metallic uranium

Credit: Ascom/MCTIC

Nuclear Industries of Brazil want to produce metallic uranium for Argentina

The Brazilian Nuclear Industries (INB) are conducting studies to enter the uranium metal market and supply the product to the Research and Production of Radioisotope Reactor in Argentina, which is under construction.

In addition, INB is expected to bring the second enriched uranium charge to supply the nuclear power plant located in the city of Lima, north of the capital Buenos Aires in 2017. The contract with state-owned Combustibles Nucleares Argentinos is US $ 4.5 million and INB is awaiting export approval by the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN). For the president of INB, João Carlos Tupinambá, this export is strategic for Brazil. He also underscores the importance of entering the uranium metal market.

"Our interest began with Argentina, but there are other reactors in the world that consume this type of fuel. If we succeed, we will not only have Argentina as a possible customer, but other countries as well," he said. "It's a business opportunity with built-in technology, so that's important for the country."

Tupinambá explained that the enrichment of uranium up to 20%, necessary for the production of drugs, will be done at the Technological Center of the Navy (CENTEC). Then the product will be sent to the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN) for the manufacture of metallic uranium.

The president of INB also said that this year will resume uranium exploration at the Engenho Mine, located in Caetité. Now the work of decapitation is being done, which is the stage prior to the mining of the ore, scheduled to begin until November. "In this de-plating, we must remove at least 70 tons of uranium," he predicted. "After being turned into yellow cake, the product is exported and turned into UF6 [enriched uranium] out of the country." Some of that UF6 is back for enrichment in Brazil, and some is enriched outside. Today, our enrichment capacity reaches 40% of the Angra 1 plant's consumption", he added. INB also seeks new partners for investments in uranium exploration in the still-exploited reserves of Caetité (BA) and Rio Cristalino (PA).

Brazil launches call for new technologies to combat Zika Virus

Credit: Stock image

Finep and Fapesp launch call for new technologies to combat Aedes aegypti

FINEP and the Foundation for Research Support of the State of São Paulo (FAPESP) launched on Tuesday (11TH) joint call in the amount of R$15 million to select research projects aimed at the development of products or technological processes for the fight Aedes aegypti and diseases such as yellow fever, zika, dengue fever and chikungunya fever.

"With these economic subsidy resources, companies can take more technological risks, which increases the possibility of seeing truly innovative solutions for the fight against arboviruses and their vectors," says Finep Scientific and Technological Development Director Wanderley de Souza.

According to Finep, the projects should focus on the development of:

• Technologies related to rapid diagnosis and low cost of arbovirus
• Monitoring and control of transmitting mosquitoes
• Insecticides and antiviral substances of biological origin
• Release of sterile mosquitoes or biological larvicides
• Monitoring and control platforms to predict the spread of emerging and re-emergent pathogens capable of anticipating intervention measures.

"This is an important challenge for public health in Brazil and in many other countries, and an opportunity for the creation and supply of innovative technologies of global reach," says Fapesp's scientific director, Carlos Henrique de Brito Cruz.

Small businesses or medium-sized companies based in the state of São Paulo, with a gross operating revenue of between R$360,000 and R$10.5 million, may participate in the call. Research proposals can be submitted by July 14 and the selection results are expected to be published in December 2017.

G20 Cooperation in Research and Development in Digital Technologies

The Secretary for Informatics Policy of the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications, Maximiliano Martinhão, defended the collaboration between the countries in the area of research and development in digital technologies and the sharing of best practices in digital training programs.

The statement was made during the first G20 meeting of ministers on digital policy held on 6-7 April in Dusseldorf, Germany. At the meeting, the opportunities for digitization for the creation of new jobs, digital development in industry and confidence in the digital world were discussed. "It has become clear to everyone involved in the debate that we need to work together to ensure that the opportunities of the digital revolution are best utilized by all," he said. He also noted that countries have recognized the potential of the digital economy for countries to achieve the goals of the UN's 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Privacy, data protection and consumer protection were other issues highlighted in the discussions. "We are very pleased because Brazil is actively participating in the whole discussion, and we are aligned on important issues such as the need to stimulate the development of the Internet of Things and to support the startups as well as micro, small and medium enterprises of the Sector, "Martinhão said.

Amazon Research Institute -Reintroducing manatees in nature

The Amazon Research Institute studies the changes of five adapted manatees reintroduced to nature in this last week, further deciding the release of a larger quantity of animals which allows us to track through radio signals monitoring behaviour and movement.

Careiro, Iraê, Cairunã, Mawa and Kuana (the five manatees) were released on Lake Trapinho in the Piagaçu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve, 175 kilometers from Manaus, after a period of adaptation in the institute’s semi-captivity.

Researcher Vera da Silva stated the success of the semi-captive system would rise if the manatees adapted to nature, henceforth releasing animals without a telemetry belt in the next reintroduction of 2018. Earlier editions of this study were less successful as the animals failed to adapt resulting in the creation of semi-captivity where manatees would remain for a year, keeping in contact with fish and turtles and a natural habit in general.

Monitored for more than 400 days, in a 13-hectare lake in Manacapuru, with satisfactory results such as weight gain, animals were exploring the environment well making the new system a fundamental success.

Monitoring

The telemetry belts are fitted with a VHF transmitter into the tails of the animals, this monitoring is important to verify the adaptation to the new conditions of life.

"With a receiver and an antenna, we can pick up a signal from the transmitters up to three kilometers away," explains biologist Diogo Souza, responsible for the Amazon Manatee Reintroduction Program. Monitoring assistant José Francisco Bastos stated the monitoring work is not easy but believes it is important to help with the preservation of the animals.

Manatee

The Amazon manatee is an animal only found in the rivers of the Amazon basin. They live for 45 years, weighing 450 kilos and measuring up to 3 meters, furthermore they are herbivores feeding only on grass and water based plants.

Manatees are solitary creatures, reproducing after 10 years of age and only every four years in the time of the drought. Only one baby is born per 12 month gestation of a female, this makes the increase in population very limited.

Mass increase in 4G Broadband access

Broadband 4G recorded 67 million hits in February, a 120% increase over the same month last year. Considering 3G internet, mobile broadband closed the month with 196.4 million accesses. Since February 2016, 37 million new 4G connections have been activated. The data comes from the Brazilian Telecommunications Association (Telebrasil). The data also shows that the number of municipalities with 4G coverage in Brazil grew 254% in the period. In all, the fourth generation networks are installed in 1,691 Brazilian cities. The current coverage exceeds by more than five times the expansion target set in the bidding documents of 288 municipalities. With this growth, 4G already reaches cities where 74% of Brazilians live. The 3G networks, in turn, are installed in 4,994 municipalities, which concentrate 98% of the Brazilian population. Also in 3G, current coverage surpasses the current target, which is 3,668 cities. Considering fixed and mobile broadband, data for February 2017 show a total of 223.3 million accesses in the country. Of these, 26.9 million are in fixed broadband, a segment that grew 5% since February last year, with 1.3 million new accesses.

Satellite and fiber to improve education and health services

The Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite (SGDC) will improve the quality of public services in Brazilian cities. The Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communications, Gilberto Kassab, met with mayors of municipalities that are part of the Integrated Development Consortium of the Vale do Paraíba (Codivap). Kassab pointed out that with the SGDC, the benefits of high-speed internet for usage on Public sector "Broadband services are increasingly required, and the Geostationary Satellite has an impressive capacity to offer this product throughout the country. It will greatly help cities to offer quality services to the citizen", said the minister. The SGDC will also empowers the Intelligent Cities program, a program that offer high-speed internet free Hotspots. MCTIC will reopen the deadline for cities across the country to join the platform. "Access to the Intelligent Cities program will be very useful so that we can better manage our municipalities and give more quality in meeting the needs of citizens," he said.

Brazil launches the "National IoT Plan"

IoT National Plan consultation launched A new public consultation was opened to receive suggestions for the National Internet of Things (IoT) under the construction of the federal government. In addition to the registry, in which to participate in this consultation, stakeholders must list the five main guidelines among the product chain, competitiveness, local changes, social inclusion and empowered and connected society. This will be used to prepare the national rules and laws based on the main issues raised during discussions on the plan, hence summarizing with the aspirations of Brazil. The National IoT Plan was requested by the MCTI - Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications - in partnership with the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES). The consortium responsible for developing the study for the plan, a group formed by the McKinsey Global Institute, the Pereira Neto Macedo Advogados and the Telecommunications Research and Development Center (CPqD), will acquire the given suggestions held in the consultation. The survey of the Internet market of Things in the world; Definition of the priority sectors of the Brazilian economy to receive investments necessary for the development of IoT; The formulation of actions aimed at accelerating the implementation of the IoT market in the country – These are the three phases in which the study was constructed.

We are back...after 5 years

This is a greetings post because we are back publishing news about investments in innovation and technology in the Brazil, private and public. I have seen many people still interested in this subject and your views and clicks made me want to continue this blog. Stay tuned...

Scientific exchange

Innovation projects with Switzerland, France and Japan are now funded and in place to start a new era in the Brazilian technology. Bilateral agreements will help delivering an incredible amount of money into research. Biomass fuel, neglected diseases and effective treatments, scientific development and knowledge transfer are some of the goals of this interesting exchange.

Infrastructure of Brazil is still far away from ideal, floods, energy cuts, inflation. However the near future seems prominent since Internet broadband will finally hit the poor and new government reforms promise less space for corruption.

A new satellite is coming and the green movement is making progress in defending a country without hydroelectric power plants, extremely damaging to the environment and native tribes as well as space consuming.

Broadband and cellphone markets are growing rapidly in Brazil. The mark of multiple cellphones per habitant was reached last year and by 2014 access to the Internet will be cheap and fast.

Computer and tablets will receive tax break and the national plan for broadband Internet is to make it cost around R$30 (about US$15).

Brazil is ready for giant telescopes

This week the Science and Technology Ministry have signed agreement with the European Southern Observatory (ESO), directed by Tim de Zeeuw, stating that Brazil can now be part of three main projects: Giant Magellan Telescope - GMT; Thirty Meter Telescope –TMT and European Extremely Large Telescope – E-ELT).

Brazil is open about its intentions, to be introduced to the international community and open the opportunity for national companies to be part of construction and infrastructure projects. Finally Brazil is taking seriously the National Plan for Astronomy (PNA).

PACTI investment results published

PACTI stands for Action Plan in Science, Technology and Innovation, for National Development, integrates all shares of the Growth Acceleration Program (CAP). R$6.6 billion invested in three years proved to have made the difference:
- The amount of companies using the Internet for generating business grew about 80%
- 14 states now have their own regional laws for innovative incentives of industry and commerce
- Benefits paid to science students and researchers is now R$2.8 billion per year, almost 3 times greater than it was in 2001

The detailed report in Portuguese.

Government invests in private IT training

CNPq, ..., is an organ of the federal government and they are responsible for the new Brazilian initiative of placing 3.5 million reais into personnel training for the private sector. Companies and individuals can subscribe to the project (see official edital). Simple IT knowledge such as Microsoft Word, Windows and even typing are still necessary since millions of Brazilians have never owned a computer and just now that they are having an opportunity to have a generation of informatics abitues, like the middle and higher-classes did in the 80's.

Russia's new uranium bank

With the intention of stopping countries from developing their own Uranium enrichment infrastructure Russia has created a nuclear fuel bank. In this bank they will deposit Uranium ready to be used in nuclear reactors, which are different from the Uranium used in atomic bombs. They are trying to stop developing country from creating their own enrichment facilities that could, ultimately, be used to treat the mineral for atomic weapons and by doing that they will guarantee secure energy fuel distribution.

News Update:

-- 07 Dec 2010 --

Apparently the fuel market won't be affected by this initiative, mining that Brazil, Argentina and South Africa will still be allowed to export enriched uranium. I don't think this is going to last long though and is funny to see "free" countries taking freedom out of others. (Institute for defence studies and analysis).

-- 06 Dec 2010 --

Three days ago in Vienna the IAEA board approved the construction of the UN's fuel bank, making that two: one managed by Russia and the other by the IAEA (sponsored by Warren Buffett).

My opinion:
After documents published in WikiLeaks.org and many other stories of corruption and disgraceful abuse from Russian authorities, I don't think any country other than the old URSS partners will use fuel provided by this bank. The problem of unconditional reliance on a single country for providing energy is an old issue and diplomacy has come a long way far from this type of initiative that doesn't add in terms security and doesn't improve life on Earth.

The USA wants to create a similar bank for Iran and Syria with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which has gone into "dirty-sheets" after revelations of "close relationship" with the US even though it is meant to be an impartial international organ.

Plus, countries like Brazil, India and Pakistan have their own enrichment facilities and although the last two have developed atomic bombs to trough on each other, they all comply with the IAEA and UN regulations. Politics and weapons are going the wrong direction again!

Lowest deforestation rate since 1988

15 Ministries em representaves of 9 Brazilian states are discussing the Macrozoning Ecological-Economic Amazon (MacroZEE), a Federal project that is helping to save the Amazon.
The deforestation rate in 2009/2010 indicates a decrease of 13.6% over the previous period. It is the lowest rate measured by INPE since 1988 and the plan to keep a sustainable development for the communities over this vast area of rain forest is still very much alive.

High-Tech Geology

With the intension of spread the culture of innovation through the mining and geology sector in Brazil, historically conservative, the secretary of Technological Development and Innovation of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), Ronaldo Mota, presents this Thursday (2nd December 2010) governmental programs and actions available that support this initiative. This is a very import part of the country's structure and advances in technology are required to make it more competitive and help productivity.