Oil and natural gas output for March
Rio de Janeiro, April 16, 2015 – Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras announces that its oil and natural gas output in Brazil and abroad, in March 2015, was 2,764,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed), down 1.3% from February 2015 (2,801,000 boed).
Of this total, 2,574,000 boed were produced in Brazil and 189,900 boed abroad. The output of 2,764,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed) is 8.3% higher than the March 2014 output of 2,551,000 boed.
Oil and gas output in Brazil
In March, total oil and natural gas output in Brazil was 2,574,000 boed, down 1.4% from February (2,612,000 boed), and up 10.4% year-on-year (2,331,000 boed).
Total oil and natural gas output operated by Petrobras in Brazil, which includes the volume operated for partner companies, was 2,834,000 boed, down 0.7% from February (2,854,000 boed).
Petrobras’s exclusive oil output in Brazil was 2,108,000 barrels per day (bpd), down 1.8% from February’s output of 2,146,000 bpd.
Oil production operated in Brazil was 2,297,000 bpd, down 0.9% from a month ago (2,319,000 bpd).
The drop in output in March is largely due to the temporary shutdown of platform P-58, which started-up on March 17, 2014 and is currently undergoing final tests and adjustments to its production systems. Petrobras shut the unit down from March 18, 2015 to April 8, 2015 to conduct preventive maintenance and improve the operational efficiency of certain systems, in compliance with current norms and guidelines of Brazil’s National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP).
In March, natural gas output in Brazil, excluding liquefied volume, was 74 million m³/day, in line with last month’s output.
Non-liquefied gas output, including the share of partner companies, reached 85.5 million m³/day.
The utilization of produced gas remained high at 95.9% in March.
Pre-salt’s production in March increases 70% compared to the same period of 2014
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Contacts:
PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S.A. – PETROBRAS | Investor Relations Department I e-mail: petroinvest@petrobras.com.br
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements, which address the Company’s expected business and financial performance, among other matters, contain words such as “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “optimistic,” “intend,” “plan,” “aim,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “likely,” and similar expressions. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. There is no assurance that the expected events, trends or results will actually occur. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events or for any other reason.
The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those expressed or forecast in any forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of assumptions and factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) failure to comply with laws or regulations, including fraudulent activity, corruption, and bribery; (ii) the outcome of ongoing corruption investigations and any new facts or information that may arise in relation to the “Lava Jato Operation”; (iii) the effectiveness of the Company’s risk management policies and procedures, including operational risk; and (iv) litigation, such as class actions or proceedings brought by governmental and regulatory agencies. A description of other factors can be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2013, and the Company’s other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.