Nielmar de Oliveira           Reporter Agência Brasil

Rio de Janeiro – With strong domestic sales and increased production, Brazil’s state-run petroleum giant, Petrobrás, had record profits of R$21.9 billion in the first half of this year. That was an increase of 37% over profits during the same period in 2010.

“The outstanding performance by Petrobras in the first half was a direct result of a strong domestic economy during the period. There was growth in sales of petroleum products. And it must be emphasized that production rose significantly,” declared Almir Barbassa, the Petrobras director of Finances.

Preliminary data indicates that there was a jump of 2% in Petrobras production, bringing the daily average of gas and petroleum to 2.6 million barrels. At the same time, domestic sales of lubricants, gasoline and diesel rose 9%.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Lucro líquido da Petrobras cresce 37% no primeiro semestre do ano e fica em R$ 21,9 bilhões