Petrobras in the crosshairs as election run-off looms
Ballot box verdict could prove existential for the NOC, amid controversial calls from the incumbent to break apart the Brazilian energy giant
Brazilian state oil and gas firm Petrobras marked its 69th birthday in early October. But the NOC’s future as a state entity may depend on the outcome of the second round of elections pitting incumbent Jair Bolsonaro against former president Lula da Silva. Throughout the election campaign, Bolsonaro has repeatedly flirted with market intervention and threatened to privatise the state juggernaut as early as next year should he win re-election. Bolsonaro’s argument, backed by economy minister Paulo Guedes, is that breaking Petrobras’ monopoly will lower domestic fuel prices. Importantly, it would also take the political pressure off the government. Since taking office, Bolsonaro has sacked and

Also in this section
5 May 2025
The country is seeing a notable increase in petroleum product retail outlets, with private operators gaining market share
2 May 2025
Fast-tracking US project approvals and increased trade pressures have already changed the LNG landscape since Trump came to office, with further transformation ahead
2 May 2025
Peru’s state-owned hydrocarbons agency has launched the search for new investors for Offshore Block Z-69, a high-potential asset in the prolific Talara Basin.
2 May 2025
The scars of the Russia crisis have accelerated Europe’s push to wean itself off gas dependence as the growing globalisation of LNG becomes a double-edged sword