Geopolítica do Petróleo: a nova perspectiva brasileira. Reflexos para a Marinha do Brasil

Abstract

The world today is characterized by complex interdependence. Globalization has brought the States together , relativized borders and shortened distances. The economic and financial interdependen ce between nations grows exponentially with the energy inputs as well as play a leading role. The o il, with its origins in the nineteenth century, h as been gradually assumed a portion of the global energy , at the expense of coal. Leverag ed by the World War I, as a source of propulsion machinery of war, it has been used as the main fuel for the entire twentieth century and there is no medium - term indicator of a future change . The geopolitical game of oil has led states to coalitions, block formation, dispute s, conflicts and even wars, to ensure access to this energy source. Oil is no longer just a source of wealth, but has becom e a source of power, manifested clearly in the Yom Kippur War in 1973, when the poor countries have imposed the United States and it‟ s allies conditions on the conduct ion of the conflict. Brazil, from the beginning of last century, has been gradually entering this geopolitical scenario first with the discoveries of oil in 1939 in the town of Lobato, Recôncavo Baiano , and subsequently wi th the creation of Petrobras in 1953, expan sion of the production frontier to the continental shelf in the 1970s and 1980s, the monopoly break in 1997, the achievement of self - sufficiency in 2006, culminating in the pre - salt discovery in 2007, fact that ga ve the country one of the largest reserves in the world. This last event definitely placed Brazil as prominent player in world geopolitics of oil, drawing attention from the major producing and consuming countries. This new reality demanded national action s , concerning not only the issue of energy security, but also defense . This result ed in the 2008 edition of the National Defense Strategy, focused on greatness, power and projection of the country , regional and global wide . The exploration and subsequent e xploitation of this new frontier of wealth require other conducts of the country, which basically require s readiness and ability to protect not only our natural resources but , above all, the interests and freedom of action, which is reflected ultimately in the preservation of its sovereignty. The country‟s biggest challenge is to be aware of this new reality, and taking actions that lead it to a vis - à - vis to the most powerful nations . The pre - salt directly affects the energy security and the defense of Braz il, the latter, with immediate implications for the Navy of Brazil, an armed force with the monopoly of the force in the waters of the Blue Amazon. The nation has the right and duty to equip its Navy with desirable architecture , compatible with the country ‟s prompting power , freeing it definitively from the backward culture of the eternal "country of the future," steeped in the imaginary of the nation. .