In a landmark move for Brazil’s energy sector, Petrobras has signed a natural gas supply contract with Cerbras, marking a major expansion of the free gas market in the Northeast.
Supply begins March 1, with Cerbras — the largest non-thermoelectric natural gas consumer in Ceará — becoming the first client in the region to migrate to the free market with supply from Petrobras. The deal strengthens Petrobras’ footprint in the Northeast at a time when Brazil’s industrial sector is rapidly shifting toward greater cost predictability, competitiveness, and energy efficiency.
The agreement lands amid accelerating growth of Brazil’s free natural gas market, fueled by large industrial consumers seeking more control over pricing and contract terms. In Ceará, the momentum has been amplified by recent regulatory modernization led by the State Regulatory Agency of Ceará (ARCE), which updated the sub-legal framework governing the free market.
"Petrobras has been expanding its operations in this contracting environment, and the agreement with Cerbras expands the regional reach of the commercial and contractual strategy established by the company,” highlights Álvaro Tupiassú, Petrobras' Executive Manager of Gas and Energy.
For Cerbras, the contract represents more than a supply agreement — it is a strategic milestone.
“This is a historic day for Cerbras and for the Northeast industry. The signing of this contract consolidates a strategic move that has been carefully prepared. Petrobras' recognition of our organization and the speed of the negotiation reinforces the company's technical maturity, governance, and execution capacity,” affirms Mariana Montenegro Bastos Mota, Cerbras' Industrial Vice-President.
Both companies emphasized the record pace of negotiations, crediting strong technical alignment, organization, and responsiveness from both teams throughout the process.
The deal builds on Petrobras’ recent expansion into the ceramics segment. Last year, the company signed a contract with the largest gas consumer in the ceramics sector in Santa Catarina, marking its entry into natural gas supply for that industry.
Brazil’s free gas market allows large industrial consumers to choose their supplier and directly negotiate price, volume, and contract terms — a shift that is reshaping the country’s energy landscape and intensifying competition among suppliers.
