Photo: screengrab from the official website of Brasil 247

 
By Brasil 247 - China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Brazil's Ambipar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to study partnership opportunities in research and development (R&D) aimed at Brazil's oil and gas sector, according to a report published by Brasil 247.

The announcement was made during the inauguration of the Brazil-China Innovation Center in Rio de Janeiro on December 8. The companies said the goal is to build a shared innovation agenda focused on efficiency gains, safety, reliability and sustainability in operations.

Among the areas under evaluation are cooperation in emergency response, improvements in operational efficiency, cost reduction, industrial cleaning, robotics and digital solutions applied to industrial environments.

Under the MoU, CNOOC and Ambipar plan to structure a workflow to map opportunities, design pilot initiatives and assess the technical and economic feasibility of innovation projects. The document also states that any progress will respect internal processes and governance requirements within each organization.

Hank Huang, CNOOC's Brazil CEO, said the MoU "reinforces the commitment to applied innovation and the construction of long-term partnerships to raise the standard of efficiency and safety in operations." Ricardo Chagas, an Ambipar executive and CEO for North America and MENA, said the company intends to accelerate technology pilots with CNOOC that reduce risk, cost and response time, "with a focus on results."

The initiative comes amid broader cooperation between Brazil and China in strategic areas such as energy and industrial innovation. The partnership aims to open a pathway for technologies applicable to high-risk industrial operations, where innovation and response capacity are considered critical factors.

Ambipar is a multinational environmental solutions company active in emergency response, waste management, industrial cleaning, environmental services and decarbonization projects. The company serves clients in the energy, industrial, infrastructure and services sectors, combining operational capacity with technological innovation.

CNOOC is one of China's leading energy companies, focused on oil and gas exploration and production, with an international presence.

(Reported by Brasil 247 on December 24, 2025)