Partnership will last three years and will serve the Ubu Complex, in Espírito Santo
Eneva, the largest private natural gas operator in Brazil, and Samarco, a joint venture among Vale and BHP Brasil and one of the country's leading mining companies, have signed an agreement to supply natural gas on the free market to the Ubu Complex, in Espírito Santo.
The agreement, with supply starting on January 1st, 2025, will last three years. The gas supply will be staggered, with 40% of the volume to be consumed by Samarco in 2025, 25% in 2026 and 15% in 2027.
Samarco's migration to the free market expands its access to more competitive and sustainable energy, reinforcing its commitment to efficient practices with significant savings compared to the captive market.
By signing the agreement with Eneva, Samarco will now have 75% of its gas consumption supplied via the free market, a significant increase considering the 10% previously recorded.
The mining company currently operates at 60% of its installed production capacity and has a plan to reach 100% of its capacity by 2028.
“We are continuing our gradual resumption moving towards sustainable growth. With the increase in installed capacity, Samarco expects to produce 15 million tons of iron ore pellets and fines in 2025. Strategic partnerships, such as this one for the supply of gas with Eneva, ensure greater competitiveness for our product and, ultimately, contribute to local economic development,” said Ailana Vilela, General Manager of Procurement at Samarco.
For Eneva, the partnership reinforces the company's strategic role in the development of the free gas market in Brazil, expanding its client base and contributing to the competitiveness of the national industry. "This agreement is a milestone that positions Eneva as the main supplier of gas in the network for mining companies and expands its objective of developing partnerships in the gas market with new industries from other industries. The partnership represents an opportunity to present our innovative solutions and provide supplies that meet the needs of each customer", highlights Marcelo Lopes, Director of Marketing, Commercialization and New Business at Eneva.
The partnership with Samarco strengthens the strategic development in the gas and energy market in Espírito Santo, where Eneva also has a supply agreement with Vale and operates three thermoelectric generation assets, Povoação, Viana and Linhares, recently acquired.
Eneva's on-grid natural gas operation is made possible by the country's main gas transportation networks, managed by the transport companies NTS, TBG and TAG, efficiently and safely connecting the South, Southeast and Northeast regions of Brazil.
About Eneva
Eneva is a private operator of onshore natural gas in the country, a fuel that is essential for energy security. The Brazilian company operates in exploration, production and energy supply. It operates 15 natural gas fields in the Parnaíba (MA) and Amazonas (AM) Basins, totaling a concession area of over 63 thousand km², the largest in Brazil. It has a generation park with 6.8 GW of contracted capacity, including thermoelectric plants in the states of Maranhão, Ceará, Sergipe, Roraima, Espírito Santo and the Futura Solar Complex, in Bahia.
About Samarco
Samarco is a privately held company operating in the mining sector, a joint venture owned by Vale and BHP Brasil. With its principal place of business in Belo Horizonte (MG), it has operating units in Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo. The main product of the company is iron ore pellets, the raw material for steel production in the steel industry. At 47 years old, Samarco resumed operations in 2020, in a different way, with new technologies and greater safety.
