• 3 minutes e-car sales collapse
  • 7 minutes Energy Armageddon
  • 11 minutes Russia Says Europe Will Struggle To Replace Its Oil Products
  • 4 hours GREEN NEW DEAL = BLIZZARD OF LIES
  • 1 day America Is Exceptional in Its Political Divide
  • 4 days Gazprom and Rosneft super result
  • 7 hours *****5 STARS - "The Markets are Rigged" by The Corbett Report
  • 20 days How Many Wells From 1 Onshore Rig?
Don't Expect OPEC Or Biden To Boost Oil Prices

Don't Expect OPEC Or Biden To Boost Oil Prices

Following the oil price crash,…

Biden's SPR Strategy Has Capped Oil Prices

Biden's SPR Strategy Has Capped Oil Prices

Before plunging on Friday morning,…

The EIA Is Dead Wrong About The Future Of U.S. Shale

The EIA Is Dead Wrong About The Future Of U.S. Shale

The EIA forecasted U.S. shale…

Charles Kennedy

Charles Kennedy

Charles is a writer for Oilprice.com

More Info

Premium Content

Corruption Scandal Will Cost Petrobras At Least $2.1 Billion

The Brazilian state-owned oil company has released its first financial statements in 8 months – and it doesn’t look good.

Petrobras has been embroiled in a corruption scandal that has weighed down its share price and sent shockwaves through Brazil’s political and economic establishment. Long held up as a national symbol, Petrobras is now struggling to regain its footing.

After the scandal surfaced – which consisted of an elaborate bribery and kickback scheme that went all the way to the top – Petrobras was unable to contain or even put a price tag on the financial losses related to the conspiracy. Related: How The Majors Are Playing The Oil Price Slump

However, the company has finally come up with a number: $2.1 billion in losses stemming directly from corruption. That number could rise further if investigators find more problems.

The damage done to Petrobras has rippled through the Brazilian economy. Billion dollar projects have been stalled and may not move forward. Less construction, bankruptcies and setbacks for contractors tied to Petrobras, and a general slowdown across the Brazilian oil and gas industry is expected to drag the Brazilian economy down. Brazil is projected to enter into a recession this year. Related: Exxon Urges U.S Congress To Soften LNG Export Laws

Petrobras also wrote down billions of dollars in assets that were overvalued, and stated that it will no longer pay dividends to shareholders.

Still, the release of financial figures is a sign of progress for the beleaguered firm. Having missed several previous deadlines, Petrobras risked triggering a technical default. The publication of financials will allow Petrobras to return to good standing with creditors and bond markets. A recent rise in its share price reflects more confidence in the company’s trajectory. Related: What Happens To US Shale When The Easy Money Runs Out?

But the future is uncertain. Petrobras still has to subsidize fuel for Brazilian consumers despite oil prices having fallen by half since 2014. Even before the drop in oil prices and the revelation of extensive graft, Petrobras was the world’s most indebted oil company. Now, trying to repair the damage, Petrobras has decided to slash capital expenditures by more than a third and is undertaking a large plan to divest itself of some assets in order to raise cash.

That will result in a much more modest production level over the long-term as the ambitious plans to tap ultra-deep pre-salt oil reserves and dramatically raise production will likely be unobtainable, at least to the extent the company had hoped. Petrobras will be able to proceed more gradually in the pre-salt, but a surge in production is unlikely for the foreseeable future.

By Charles Kennedy of Oilprice.com

ADVERTISEMENT

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:


Download The Free Oilprice App Today

Back to homepage





Leave a comment

Leave a comment




EXXON Mobil -0.35
Open57.81 Trading Vol.6.96M Previous Vol.241.7B
BUY 57.15
Sell 57.00
Oilprice - The No. 1 Source for Oil & Energy News