RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) -Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras began an emergency drill in the Foz do Amazonas region on Sunday, the firm said in a statement on Monday, after Reuters reported the news citing sources.

The so-called pre-operational assessment is considered by Petrobras to be the final stage of an environmental licensing process to obtain a permit to drill an exploratory oil and gas well in the region.

The drill started on Sunday at 6.10 p.m. (2110 GMT), Petrobras said in the statement. Brazil’s environmental agency Ibama did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The exercise is expected to involve more than 400 people, as well as logistical resources such as large vessels, helicopters, and a drilling rig, which will be positioned at the site where the wel

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