Petróleo: energia do presente, matéria-prima do futuro?

Abstract

Nowadays oil and coal account for most of world energy generation. The near future offers few perspectives of change in the world energy matrix. The process of fossil fuel combustion used today is extremely inefficient, as a good deal of ener-gy is wasted. While a technological revolution in the energy area doesn't come, we have to work on raising the efficiency level, and on understanding better this wonderful raw material which oil is. We have history to teach us: at the end of the XIX century the main product obtained from oil was kerosene for lighting, and gas was thrown away. The biggest doubt is still about the potential for innovation in the oil area, which is already very developed. That is true as regards the use of oil as fuel, but not as a supplier of raw materials. Today Petrobras has become a new sponsor and organizer of scientific and technological research in the area of oil and energy in Brazil, focusing on the future of the oil industry.