Rousseff rejects changes in pre-salt oil sharing agreement

Criado em 22/10/13 18h49 e atualizado em 22/10/13 19h01
Por Danilo Macedo Edição:s Fonte:Agência Brasil

Brasília – President Dilma Rousseff said on Tuesday (October 21) that the Brazilian government is not considering to change the sharing model for the pre-salt oil exploration. She said the development of the Libra Field is being misunderstood and that the government is satisfied with the tender, despite the criticism against the auction held on Monday (October 20). She also pointed out that the field is expected to generate a revenue of more than $360 billion to the Brazilian State over the course of 35 years.

As regards the minimum percentage of Brazilian equipment to be used in the operation, the president stated: “I can’t see how this model needs adjustments. Those who oppose the use of domestic technology want to hand over the pre-salt riches to other countries in another way. We’re going to build a naval complex here, which is already well advanced. Our industry will include suppliers and contractors. All the companies in the world may come here and participate.”

The president also said that she sees no reason to change the role of Petróleo Pré-sal S.A. (PPSA), the state-run oil company created to oversee the pre-salt oil exploration, or the 30% minimum of participation granted to Petrobras in all consortia in the sharing model.

Rousseff praised the auction’s winning consortium, whose members are Petrobras, Shell (Anglo-Dutch), Total (French), CNPC and CNOON (Chinese): “It’s a consortium established among large companies that are capable of exploring the pre-salt oil and having the necessary resources for this exploration, not only financial resources, but also technological ones.”

She also stressed that Petrobras and Shell are the world’s two leading companies that specialize in deepwater oil exploration: “The government is satisfied with the outcome of the auction; it regards the consortium a solid one, and is satisfied with its share in the revenue, and also with this alchemy, because we’ll turn oil into education, health care, the development of the naval industry, of suppliers, contractors and all the industry connected with the development of an oilfield.”

Rousseff rejected allegations that the government was worried with the participation of a single consortium in yesterday’s auction and was considering rethinking the sharing production model. “I’m sorry. If people want to feel surprised by how obvious it is that this is one the world’s greatest auctions, they might as well do so, but don’t attribute this doubt to me.”

(with the collaboration of Thais Leitão)

Editors: Carolina Pimentel / Lícia Marques
Translator: Fabrício Ferreira