Brasília, 5/6/2004 (Agência Brasil) - Petrobras, Brazil's state-run petroleum giant, refined an average 1,758,000 barrels of petroleum per day in April, a new record. That permitted the company to refine 694,200 barrels of diesel oil per day resulting in a reduction of 80% in the country's diesel fuel imports during the first four months of this year. Imports of diesel fuel were running an average 104,000 barrels per day in 2002, fell to 57,000 barrels per day in 2003, and this year have leveled out at 14,000 barrels per day.

The higher production levels and lower imports have translated into savings of some US$1.2 billion in Brazil's trade balance.

Translator: Allen Bennett