Maceió, September 30, 2019 - A study by researchers of the University of Houston presents a critical analysis of the CPRM report on the geological phenomena in the districts of Pinheiro, Mutange and Bebedouro. For them, tremors of natural origin, geological faults and poor quality of the soil are not to be disregarded as causes of the problem. José Roberto Brandt, engineer with PhD awarded by the University of Alberta (Canada) and executive officer at Geoprojetos - a company specialized in geotechnics with more than 30 years of experience and international operation -, is a technical assistant at Braskem and comments  the researchers' work.

 

The study conducted by the researchers of the University of Houston, based on the results and information currently available, dismisses the direct relation between the rock salt extraction and the geological event in the three districts of the capital of Alagoas. Why? 
José Roberto Brandt - The professors at Houston say that, in face of what was done and presented in the summary report of CPRM, there is not enough basis to affirm that the rock salt extraction is mainly responsible for the subsidence. They also say that there are several factors involved in more responsibility.

 

According to the Houston researchers, were there failures in the methodology applied by CPRM?
JRB - Yes, they presented a series of criticisms of the manner data were obtained and analyzed, and they say that, based the on available data, it is not possible to get to the conclusions presented by CPRM.

 

Why did Braskem choose the University of Houston to conduct the analysis of the CPRM report? 
JRB - Texas is the state in the United States with greater tradition in oil and gas technology in the world. It is a reference in oil and gas exploration. The technologies available in the state, particularly in Houston, where most of the oil companies are headquartered, allow the city to be a center of excellence in researches in the field, and they are cored at the University of Houston. There we have the big names in the field of seismology, geophysics and geology, all  from  big research centers and with doctorates from renowned universities in the United States and Europe.

 

To test the hypotheses of the CPRM report, did the researchers apply any methodology or technology not available here?

JRB - The techniques used there are similar to the ones used here. However, their computing resources there are sometimes superior to ours. So, the researchers in Houston used a supercomputer to make a three-dimensional modelling, simulating a possible collapse of all the salt caverns in the region. The result obtained for the subsidence was around 67 times smaller than the slump (subsidence is the technical term) measured by the CPRM interferometry, which is a great discrepancy. They concluded that some other mechanism or mechanisms, not related to the brine cavities, might be the dominant cause of this subsidence.

  

For this step of the work of the Houston researchers, was field research here in Alagoas necessary ?

JRB - No. The works carried out by the researchers were based exclusively on the documents published by CPRM (summary report, attachments and exhibits). With this material, I see no need of an on-site visit. The intention is to make a critical evaluation of existing documents, not perform studies.

 

Is this kind of consultancy service to companies, made by academics, an usual and valid procedure from a technical point of view?

JRB - The University of Houston is an entity with huge reputation in the world market of oil and gas. These researchers would never have any unethical attitude to please a contracting party.  So, in my opinion, this is out of question. The report is completely unbiased. It is a common practice in Brazil and in the world to have university professors from leading research centers involved in specialized consultancy services. These professionals are constantly upgrading themselves getting in touch with researches carried out by their students. They have access to all recently released technical publications, attend seminars, conferences, lectures, take part in educational exchange programs and improve themselves in every possible way. Therefore, they are always the "state of the art" in their field. So, the hiring of these professionals in cases of great repercussion and technical difficulty is quite sound and effective. Usually, universities have a business structure to manage the hiring of the professors' services, which manages contracts and the reimbursing of the hours worked in the individual consultancy.

 

Does Braskem has (or did it have) authorization to present complementary studies? What can you tell us about this? 

JRB - Yes, Braskem has the right and duty to make its own studies and evaluations, so that the process is correct and fair. Making a comparison with medicine, it is like having a patient with a delicate diagnosis who wants to consult with another doctor to ask for a second opinion.

 

Does the Houston study have a message to the residents of the affected districts? 
JRB - At this moment, a verification of the results of the CPRM report is in execution to ensure that the diagnosis is correct. And why this verification? Because currently, the only existing opinion about the subsidence is the one in the CPRM document.  And, considering the complexity of the situation,  some questions still remain. Did the technical assessment consider all the hypotheses? Will the solutions based on the existing diagnosis actually solve the problem? A doctor can only prescribe a medicine to a patient when he is sure about the diagnosis. The correct medicine, in the correct dosage, promotes the  patient's recovery.  The wrong medicine or the wrong dosage of it may bring complications. Thus, I understand the reasons for Braskem asking for a "second opinion" of the diagnosis.