Nielmar de Oliveira
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Rio – According to the president of Petrobrás, José Sérgio Gabrielli, with the new P-50 platform in operation, which took place on Friday, April 21, the country now produces enough petroleum to cover domestic demand. And self-sufficiency means being less vulnerable to external pressure.

Gabrielli was quick to point out that with petroleum at over US$70 a barrel, "Our biggest victory is to reach self-sufficiency at a moment when oil is scarce worldwide and the margin between production and consumption is very fragile. All of which makes prices volatile. "

However, he went on to say that it must be kept in mind that there was a diffence between being self-sufficient and pricing policies. According to Gabrielli, there will not be any significant price changes in gas at the pump. "What we can do is control price fluctuations," he explained. "And, of course, we have supply ensured even if there is some kind of market collapse in other parts of the world. Self-sufficiency is good for the country's image. And it consolidates the position of Petrobras as one of the world's great oil companies."

Translation: Allen Bennett