BrazilAmerica.com Brazil Tours

2009-12-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

'The Most Popular Politician on Earth'

2009-10-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Eraldo Peres / AP

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is Brazil's unlikely hero.

'The Most Popular Politician on Earth'

For nearly seven years, he's done a spectacular job as Brazil's president. But can Lula resist the temptation to throw it away?
He grew up so poor, he didn't find out what bread was until he was 7. That was Lula's age when he climbed onto a flatbed truck with his Brazilian dirt-farmer family and all their possessions and made the 1,900-mile journey from the country's northeastern dustbowl for a life in the slums of São Paulo. He dropped out of school in the fifth grade, shined shoes on the street, and went to work in a factory at 14, losing a finger to a lathe in an accident on the graveyard shift at an auto-parts plant. Eventually he rose through the rank and file to become an internationally respected union leader. A military junta ruled Brazil back then, and strikes were illegal, but he defied the generals and the bosses and practically shut down the continent's industrial powerhouse in the name of the steelworkers.
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Formula 1

2009-10-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

“World Champions Baby, Yeah!!”

Something amazing happened in Formula 1 in Brazil yesterday. The result that occured had long been expected, even from the first race back in Australia, but yesterday Brawn GP and their British driver Jenson Button proved all of their doubters wrong, by becoming World Champions.

Brawn were clearly the underdogs going into this Formula 1 season. Their previous owners Honda had decided late in 2008 that they were pulling out of the expensive sport, leaving a team without financial backing, or an owner. At the last minute Ross Brawn stepped in with a management buyout, putting everything he had on the line. The team still had it’s drivers, Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello. They stuck with the team despite the uncertainty, trusting Brawn would pull the team through.

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Brazil's Olympian Growth

2009-10-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

Brazil's Olympian Growth

When Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was elected president of Brazil in 2002, few outside observers thought his country had a bright future. Surely a former lathe operator with an elementary school education and left-wing sensibilities was not the solution to Brazil's stagnant economy. At least that was the take of more than a few American economists, bankers and politicians.

The selection of Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Summer Games is the latest indication of how wrong the critics were. Brazil's economy is projected to grow by 5% or more next year. Its stock market has risen more than 30% this past year while those in most developed nations have fallen. And, in addition to the Olympics, it gets the other global sports spectacle, the World Cup, in 2014.

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Samba School

2009-09-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Mangueira

is much more than a traditional samba school. This school is one of a kind in the way that they manage to show true neighborhood support and the ability to help a community and its members succeed with pride all year long. These lovely dancers not only train year long to create the perfect story they also work within the community to better Rio de Janeiro and the neighborhood they have considered home for so long.

Samba schools took longer to rise from the poorer neighborhoods in Brazil but like more influential neighborhoods they less fortunate managed to rise and make their ability to samba not to mention their love for their culture, known.

One of the first schools do to this was Mangueira. Originally in the slums, this samba school was born near a hill of the same name and decided to use it as an offering to their people.

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Brazil Stocks Rebound

2009-09-21T13:24:00.000-07:00

Brazil Stocks Rebound on Steelmakers, Vale; Mexico Declines

By Alexander Ragir and Emily Schmall

Sept. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Brazil’s Bovespa index rose as steelmakers and miners climbed on the prospect the recovering economy will bolster earnings, overshadowing declines for banks.

Gerdau SA led gains for steelmakers after Itau Unibanco Holding SA said Brazil’s largest steel producer may outperform on the outlook for “stronger than expected” third-quarter earnings. Vale SA, the world’s biggest iron ore miner, climbed 1 percent after a central bank survey showed Brazil’s economy will extend its recovery from the global financial crisis in the second half of 2009 and won’t shrink for the year overall. Banco Bradesco SA led a decline in financial stocks after Spain’s Banco Santander SA said it aims to raise as much as $7.2 billion by selling shares in its Brazilian business.

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MYTRAVELADVICE.NET

2009-09-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

MyTravelAdvice.net ... http://www.mytraveladvice.net/ ... offers destination information and travel advice for more than 2 million destinations from over 12,000 travel experts.
When you choose a country or city, you will be matched to up to 3 travel experts who are experienced with your destination. They work hard to give you all the travel advice you can imagine. At the end of the day, you pay only if you decide to purchase a service from one or more of your experts. No play, no pay. It's all strictly on the honor system. Travel research with MyTravelAdvice.net is a no-brainer! It's all from the same company who owns BrazilAmerica.com, your choice for all Brazil Travel and Brazil Tours!

Brazil Winner in Global Crisis

2009-09-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Brazil is One of Few Winners in Global Crisis

The financial market meltdown a year ago brought Brazil's three-year economic spurt to an abrupt halt, silencing those who had previously held that the country would be able to weather any global financial storm because of its strong domestic economy and stable banking system, reformed after the Latin American debt crisis of the 1980s.

As raw-material prices plummeted and investor risk-appetite dried up, hopes were quenched that Brazil's economy might be immune to the woes of the global markets. The economy contracted 3.6% in the fourth quarter of 2008 and a further 1% quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of 2009.

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French Jets to Brazil

2009-09-08T08:55:00.000-07:00

Brazil to become first foreign customer for French jet

Aldo Gamboa Aldo Gamboa – Tue Sep 8, 6:00 am ET

BRASILIA (AFP) – France has struck a landmark outline accord to sell 36 Rafale fighters for between four and seven billion dollars to Brazil, potentially the first foreign customer for the expensive jet, officials said.

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced on Monday after meeting French leader Nicolas Sarkozy that advanced contract talks were being held, though French maker Dassault Aviation said it did not expect a final accord until 2010.

France has been seeking a foreign buyer for the multi-role combat jet for more than a decade.

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Brazil Tech Crunch

2009-09-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Why TechCrunch Is Not Coming to Brazil After All

by Sarah Lacy on September 3, 2009

Right about now I should be leaving for the airport. In some 24 hours I’d be landing in Sao Paulo, picked up by my driver for the next two weeks and embarking on a jam-packed agenda, meeting with scores of South American startups and entrepreneurs.

This was to be the latest in my series of travels for my book-in-progress about entrepreneurship in emerging markets. Brazil was the one place that no one in the Valley was pushing me to visit. In fact, it was the one place my husband had asked me not to visit, having heard many reports of kidnapping and violence. But I was resolutely convinced there was a world of exciting companies and stories and had been looking forward to the trip for months. In fact, I’d spent about four months studying Portuguese and planning the trip.

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Increase in Brazilian Minimun Wage

2009-09-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

Brazil Property News: Brazilian property owners get new minimum wage

September 2009 12:51

Brazil's planning minister Paulo Bernado has announced that the South American country's minimum wage will rise by 8.8 per cent in 2010.

The news was released at the 2010 budget proposal which was presented to congress recently.

Minimum wage increases above the rate of inflation, welfare programs and other social policies have helped boost the Brazilian economy since President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took charge six years ago.

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Germany Offers World Cup Help

2009-08-31T12:36:00.000-07:00

Germany offers Brazil World Cup help

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Germany's economy minister is offering the support of his government and German companies in helping Brazil prepare for the 2014 World Cup.

Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg is hoping German firms can win infrastructure, organization and security contracts to help Brazil prepare for the tournament.

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Brazil's town of twins

2009-08-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

Unraveling the mystery of Brazil's 'twin town'

Land of twins mystery
A tiny hamlet in Sao Pedro, Brazil has 40 pairs of twins in just one 4 km stretch, CNN finds out why.

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Easier to get to property

2009-08-26T11:49:00.000-07:00

Brazil Property News: Traveling to property in Brazil 'is getting much easier'

August 2009 04:53

Brazilian property owners who live overseas are finding it much easier to travel to the South American country as airlines are increasing the number of services, according to an expert.

Laura Rendell-Dunn, spokesperson for Journey Latin America, said that TAP Portugal have increased its quota of flights landing in the capital Brasilia and various locations in the north-east of Brazil.

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Brazil Good for Shell Oil

2009-08-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

Brazil Field Puts Shell in a Good Spot

GUY CHAZAN

Royal Dutch Shell PLC is the latest in a small group of Western energy companies pumping crude out of Brazil amid intensifying international interest in the country's deepwater oil reserves.

The official launch of Shell's BC-10 oil field Tuesday, off Brazil's southeast coast, comes as the country prepares to approve long-awaited laws on how to regulate its subsalt reserves, a vast resource that has emerged as a kind of El Dorado for the global energy industry.

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Brazil Financing Bolivian Highway

2009-08-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

Lula: Brazil To Provide $300 Million Financing For Bolivian Highway

PAULO -(Dow Jones)- Brazil will provide financing worth $300 million to the Bolivian government for construction of a highway critical for regional trade, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday.

"We will provide financing for the construction of a major highway in Bolivia that will facilitate trade between Bolivia and Brazil and contribute to Brazilian trade with Peru," Lula said in his weekly radio program.

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Women's Volleyball

2009-08-20T10:16:00.000-07:00

Brazil Beat China in World GP Women's Volleyball

– Beijing Olympic gold medallists Brazil whipped Athens Olympic champions China in straight sets in the final round of the World Grand Prix women's volleyball tournament on Thursday.

The Brazilians, who saved two match points to beat Russia on Wednesday, scored a 25-21, 25-20, 31-29 victory for their second straight win in the six-team round robin.

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America Drilling Off-Shore

2009-08-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

Americans invest in off-shore drilling...in Brazil

August 19, 12:05 PMSchuylkill County Independent ExaminerNola Redd

Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal broke a story regarding Americans funding off-shore drilling…in Brazil. According to the paper, the United States is loaning Brazil’s state-owned oil company, Petrobras, $2 billion in the form of either a direct loan or loan guarantees. Even more bizarre, we obviously don’t have $2 billion sitting around; we are taking out a loan to make a loan, something similar to speculators and day-traders who put their house at risk to borrow to play the stock market.

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2009-08-19T07:24:00.001-07:00

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IBM Looking at Brazil

2009-08-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

IBM Takes to Brazil

Zacks Equity Research
On Tuesday August 18, 2009, 1:35 pm ED

Russia, India and China (known as the BRIC countries) have been the epicenter of growth and technical innovation over the last few years, although India and China have been the favorites among the technological giants IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM - News) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ - News). But of late, IBM has decided to take a closer look at Brazil, as it believes that country will be the next big technological destination.

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Brazil Sweet?

2009-08-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

Brazil Sugar Production May Beat Estimates Next Year By Luzi Ann Javier

Aug. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Sugar cane production in Brazil may expand by up to 30 million metric tons, more than previously estimated, in the year beginning May 2010 as a rally in prices encourages planting, the International Sugar Organization said.

Output in the world’s biggest producer may rise from 600 million tons in the 2009 to 2010 marketing year and millers may utilize as much as half of that for sugar production if prices remain competitive against ethanol, ISO economist Leonardo Bichara Rocha said.

“People were estimating cane production to go up by only about 20 million tons maximum 2010-11,” Rocha said in an interview in Bangkok today. “I think that could be larger now due to the fact that planting still hasn’t finished. That means you’d have around 630 million tons.”

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2009-08-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

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Twitter in Brazil

2009-08-15T07:34:00.000-07:00

Brazil Has Made Twitter into a Tool for a Fairer Democracy
Written by Rachel Glickhouse
Friday, 14 August 2009 22:17

Marcelo Tas's Twitter page While Twitter has revolutionized communication in the US and around the world, it has had an especially large impact on Brazil. Embraced by pop stars and politicians alike, Twitter has taken Brazil by storm and has become one of the site's fastest growing markets. More importantly, the site has changed the way Brazilians participate in politics, and how politicians reach their constituents.

Full Article

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Brazil Airlines increase passenger flow

2009-08-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

Brazil Airlines See 25.6% Rise In July Passenger Flow

SAO PAULO (Dow Jones)--Brazil's domestic airline passenger flow rose 25.6% in July from a year earlier, according to figures released by the Civil Aviation Agency, or Anac, Thursday.Passengers flew 4.23 billion kilometers on domestic flights in July, while available seat kilometers rose 15.3% to 6.32 billion, according to Anac. The numbers were slightly below June figures, however.

The average load factor was 66.9% compared with 65.44% in June.

Brazil's leading airline, TAM S.A (TAM), saw its market share diminished once again in July, to 43% from 51% last year and 44.7% in June. Meanwhile, rival GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA (GOL) saw its share rise to 42.8% from 41.7% last year and 42.19% in June.

Full Article

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Olympics in Brazil ?

2009-08-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

Brazil's president to push Rio bid in Copenhagen
Fri Aug 14, 6:33 am ET

Fri Aug 14, 6:33 am ET

BERLIN – Brazil's president will attend an Olympic meeting in Copenhagen to push Rio de Janeiro's bid for the 2016 games.

Rio bid officials announced Friday that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva would lead the delegation at the International Olympic Committee session on Oct. 2.

Full Article

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2009-08-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

Brazil’s Real Rally May Rescue Tam From Oil Hedges

By Heloiza Canassa

Aug. 10 (Bloomberg) -- A soaring real is helping rescue Tam SA, Brazil’s biggest airline, from wrong-way bets that crude prices would average more than $100 a barrel this year.

The world’s best-performing currency has risen 26 percent this year, cutting Tam’s dollar-denominated debt and aircraft costs and offsetting losses tied to oil hedges, said Victor Mizusaki, an airline analyst at Itau Corretora in Sao Paulo.

“The currency gain has a very positive impact, it’s the most important thing holding earnings up,” Mizusaki said in an Aug. 6 telephone interview. He rates Tam “sector perform.”

Tam may say this week second-quarter net income rose to 305.2 million reais ($166 million), the highest since at least 2003, according to the median of four analysts in a Bloomberg survey. The Sao Paulo-based airline posted a loss of 1.12 billion reais in the fourth quarter after betting oil, which touched a record $147.27 on July 11, 2008, would extend a rally into 2009. The economic crisis has curbed demand, leading crude to fall more than half from July’s highs to about $70 a barrel.

Tam hedged more than 45 percent of estimated consumption this year at prices of at least $105 a barrel, according to Deutsche Bank AG and Itau. The oil hedges resulted in a 919 million-real expense in the fourth quarter after it renegotiated some contracts, Tam said. In the first quarter, the company had an expense of 62 million reais related to the hedges, reducing net income to 54.43 million reais.

Currency Helps

“The currency helps airlines on many fronts: it cuts costs and when the real rises Brazilians tend to travel more,” said Greg Lesko, who helps manage $625 million as head of equity at Deltec Asset Management in New York.

Tam, which is scheduled to report earnings Aug. 13, wouldn’t comment on the hedges, according to a spokesman who declined to be named, citing company policy.

Smaller competitor Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes SA has a different oil-hedging position. The company has 22 percent of its expected fuel needs in the second half hedged at $72 per barrel, according to the first-quarter earnings statement.

Crude oil for September delivery fell 33 cents to settle at $70.60 a barrel at 2:56 p.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil will fall to $60 by the end of the third quarter and end the year at $65, according to the median estimate of 33 analysts in a Bloomberg survey.

Real’s Rally

Brazil’s real rallied as a rebound in the price of the country’s commodity exports including iron ore, central bank interest-rate cuts and share offerings by Brazilian-based companies lured foreign investors, swelling dollar inflows.

Gol, based in Sao Paulo, may post second-quarter net income of 14.8 million reais after a loss of 216.8 million reais a year earlier, according to a survey of four analysts. Gol is scheduled to report earnings tomorrow.

“Although the second quarter is seasonally the weakest for the industry, these results are likely to be positively affected by the 15.7 percent appreciation of the real against the dollar in the second quarter,” Mizusaki wrote in a report today.

The IMF expects Brazil’s economy to shrink 1.3 percent this year, before rebounding 2.5 percent in 2010.

Tam fell 38 centavos, or 1.6 percent, to 24.20 reais in Sao Paulo, after earlier rising as much as much as 3.7 percent. The decline followed a drop in the Brazilian real, which fell 1.1 percent to 1.8407 per dollar today.

Tam’s Gains

Tam gained 27 percent this year, underperforming Gol’s 61 percent rally and a 51 percent rise for the Bovespa benchmark stock index.

Tam gets about 33 percent of its revenue from international operations, compared with 10 percent for Gol. Both airlines have about 60 percent of their costs linked to the U.S. currency, most of which are aircraft leases and fuel expenses, according to Mizusaki.

Tam’s fuel hedging “puts it at a strategic disadvantage in 2009 and represents a substantial cash obligation at current oil price levels,” Deutsche Bank analyst Dan McGoey, who is based in Mexico City, wrote in a July 31 note to investors.

Airlines are struggling to stay profitable amid the global economic contraction and a collapse in demand for business travel. British Airways Plc had a second-quarter net loss of 106 million pounds ($175 million) on July 31 and said ticket prices may fall further. Delta Airlines Inc., the world’s largest carrier, posted a loss of $257 million for the period.

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2009-08-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

Boeing, US woo Brazil with technology for defense deal

SAO PAULO (AFP) – US aerospace giant Boeing is proposing to transfer 1.5 billion dollars in fighter jet technology to Brazil in a bid to score a contract for 36 combat aircraft, a top company executive said Monday.

The offer appear to be an attempt to blunt competing bids from France's Dassault, which is putting forward its advanced Rafale fighter, and Sweden's Saab, which is proposing its yet-to-be-built Gripen NG, to replace Brazil's aging fleet of 12 French-made Mirage-2000 jets and 50 US-made F-5 aircraft.

The deal is estimated to be worth between "two and three billion dollars," Boeing said, and would involve delivering F/A-18 Super Hornets from 2014.

Brazil, which is set to announce the winning bid by the end of the month, could increase the order to a total of 120 aircraft by 2040.

"We believe that the 1.5 billion dollars of technology we are gonna give to our partnership here will make them a better industry for years to come," Boeing executive vice president James Albaugh told reporters in Sao Paulo.

The deal would be associated with materials and other support, he said, noting Brazil is seeking "a path to independence, to take care of the airplanes on their own."

The technology transfer is a "clear signal" to Brazil that the United States is backing the deal, said Albaugh.

US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control Ellen Tauscher and Pentagon acquisition and technology chief Ashton Carter said last week they had outlined the proposal to Brazilian officials.

Accompanied in Brasilia by President Barack Obama's national security advisor, Jim Jones, they said the technology transfer was part of a final gambit to try to persuade Brazil's air force to buy the new combat aircraft.

"We want to have a technology relationship with Brazil that gets deeper and deeper with the time," Carter said. "This is just the first step."

One consideration, both for Brazil and for the United States, was likely to be how the F/A-18 might stack up against Venezuela's air force should any future confrontation take place.

Venezuela recently purchased 24 Russian and Chinese-developed Su-30MK2s, a modern fighter considered to have superior performance over the US plane.

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Brazil Cruises fasting growing

2009-08-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

Brazil Property News: Brazil cruise market 'is one of the fastest growing in the world
7th August 2009 05:11
Those with property in Brazil will be pleased to hear that the country has one of the fastest growing cruise markets in the world and its growth is set to accelerate in the coming years.
Adam Goldstein, president and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International, says the nation will attract significant investment in this sector and that the increase in tourism could benefit other areas, which may include the Brazilian property market.
He made the claim after the firm opened its first office in the country, with the base in Sao Paulo to be the centre of the firm's operations in the nation.
"The cruise market in Brazil is one of the fastest growing in the world and, with increased investment and commitment, we aim to accelerate this trend," Mr Goldstein states.
In other news which will interest those with property in Brazil, the Iguazu Falls which border Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay have been shortlisted for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's 7 Wonders of Nature contest.

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Oil in Brazil

2009-08-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

Exploring Brazil's pre-salt cluster

Adriano Pires, Director/Centro Brasileiro de Infraestrutura

Published Friday, July 10, 2009

Brazil recently discovered the largest oil deposits in the country's history. This has put the country on the road to becoming a major producer, but there are still technological and financial obstacles to overcome.

The finds are in the Santos basin, 300km from Rio de Janeiro's coast, in southeastern Brazil. The Tupi field, which is the first discovery, was announced to the world in November 2007.

Brazil's federal energy company Petrobras estimates reserves at 5B-8Bboe, which would make it the largest ever deepwater oil discovery and turn the company into one of the most important oil groups in the world – that if the government does not bring a dramatic change in the way oil exploration is done in the country.

To shed light on pre-salt exploration and Petrobras' future role, BNamericas interviewed Adriano Pires, director of Brazilian infrastructure consultancy Centro Brasileiro de Infraestrutura (CBIE).

BNamericas: In a recent interview, you said the pre-salt layer oil has the potential to end Petrobras' trade deficit, which last year reached roughly US$3bn. Could you elaborate on this?

Pires: The pre-salt layer oil found by Petrobras is 28-degree API. The average oil currently being produced is 18-degree API, which is a very heavy kind of oil. The pre-salt one is in the middle of the scale, it's not like a Brent or WTI type, but it certainly adds a lot of value for the oil Petrobras might be able to sell.

Today, the company still has to import 15-20% of all the oil it refines, due to the heaviness of the typical Brazilian oil. In 2015, Petrobras estimates it will be fully producing in the Tupi oil field and it will then be able to eradicate its trade deficit, as the company will get more value in the markets. Petrobras will finally be commercially independent.

BNamericas: How did you calculate these figures?

Pires: If in 2015 Petrobras as it says starts to produce between 1M-1.5Mboe/d and this oil is really 28-degree API, it will be possible for the company to zero its annual trade deficit.

BNamericas: And how much will a barrel of oil cost by then, for the purpose of this calculation?

Pires: A barrel would be costing at least US$50.

BNamericas: The drying up of international financing, significantly lower oil prices, and technological and geological challenges to develop new oil finds makes long-term cost calculations difficult. Can Petrobras perhaps miscalculate the costs of this project, given the unseen nature of this?

Pires: Yes, it is very possible for the company to miscalculate it. There are three main challenges ahead for the exploration of the pre-salt layer.

The first is the technological one. Petrobras has acquired a lot of expertise in deepwater exploration but still, it is a new venture. The company will have to adapt and even create techniques for that.

The second challenge is economic. If there are 50Bboe in total reserves, it will naturally cost a lot to explore it. Some banks say Petrobras will need US$600bn over the next 30 years for the pre-salt exploration. Also, depending on how long the current economic crisis lasts, the project can get delayed.

Finally, the third challenge is what I call the legal one. Since 2007, when Petrobras announced the pre-salt discovery, the Brazilian government has been saying it will change the national oil exploration framework. Until now, we have not seen any new legislation on that. The Tupi field was acquired by Petrobras, Britain's BG Group and Portugal's Galp in an auction in 2000. Production there is scheduled to start only in 2015. The government should speed up the process for change, as uncertainty is the worst thing for the oil sector.

BNamericas: Low risk appetite on the part of foreign investors and recent currency derivative losses mean that large Brazilian companies are increasingly likely to rely on local banks for credit at high premium spreads. Can this be a major obstacle for Petrobras?

Pires: It will depend on the duration of the economic meltdown. Nowadays, Petrobras has been getting a variety of loans internationally and at home too. The Brazilian federal group has a privileged portfolio with the pre-salt cluster in its hands. So, in theory, any global economic recovery will make it easier for Petrobras to obtain lines of credit abroad. But that will also depend on the kind of framework the government will impose on the pre-salt activity. Will this sector get more restrictive for foreign companies? Will it become a tool for political propaganda? The answers for that might tell us if money for Petrobras will get cheaper or more expensive abroad.

BNamericas: Brazilian economist David Kupfer once said the country has created a regulation format for oil discovery only. And that now, it must change it into a framework for oil production. Do you think that is the case?

Pires: Absolutely. But I believe that our current concession system is a good one, and it can be adjusted a bit without having to relaunch a whole new framework. For a new regulation to be set congress needs to discuss it first and this can take a long time. It's perfectly possible for the current system to just incorporate a few changes.

BNamericas: What changes could be made to the concession system then?

Pires: It could be done in many ways, for example, by raising government's special participations, by raising field area retention or even taxes. All of that could be done by a presidential decree. Changes like that could bring greater revenue for the Brazilian state without wasting precious time with congress' discussions.

BNamericas: Talks are underway to turn concession contracts into production sharing agreements with Petrobras. This would mean that private companies would have to share their production with the government after recovering costs. What is your opinion on that?

Pires: It could work fine as long as the process is transparent. Perhaps production sharing agreements through auctions could be a good way of guaranteeing transparency. But if we have chosen in the past the concession system, I still think we should stick to it with minor upgrades. The concession one is much more transparent than the production sharing one.

BNamericas: Much has been said about the possible creation of a new federal company to manage the pre-salt resources. Is that necessary?

Pires: I don't think so. We have a sound structure in the country perfectly capable of managing the pre-salt oil wealth. Petrobras, oil and gas regulator ANP and the mining and energy ministry are ready to deal with that. I think that a new federal holding could actually become a new source of corruption scandals.
About Adriano Pires

Pires, who founded CBIE, is a professor at Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). He holds DSc in industrial economics from the Université Paris XIII and bachelor's degree in economics from UFRJ. He also served as manager of Brazilian oil and gas regulator ANP's imports and exports department.
By João Carvalho

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Your Brazil Tour and Brazil Travel Vacation of a Lifetime!

2009-08-09T18:37:00.000-07:00

Travel Article By Norman Morrison:
Your Vacation of A Lifetime

Hello there! So you're interested in traveling! It's a fine thing, and you don't have to wait until you are an old man or old lady to do it. You can begin right now by saving a portion of your butter and egg money and before you know it, you'll have enough to go on that power vacation. It may take 2 or 3 years but that's all there is to it, no kidding. You simply must want to do it and plan for it.
Here are a few things you need to know to begin:

● You must obtain a passport. You can get the forms at any larger US Post Office.

● Many countries require an "entry visa." For most, you can visit their website online and take care of that.

● Unless you plan to go really exotic, you shouldn't have to worry with special vaccinations.

● You'll need plane tickets. Cruise the internet travel sites to find your best deal. By the time you are ready for the big leap, you'll know what to do, if you have done your homework well.

● You need a plan: If you are not up to it, have the most expensive travel specialist you can find to tell you where to go and what to do. Otherwise, do your own research and decide what YOU want to do, where, and when. At the very least, by doing your own thinking, you can tell when the expensive travel specialist is jerking you around. Something to think about.

I believe planning for the Vacation of a Lifetime is almost as exciting as doing the Vacation of a Lifetime. Here is my argument for taking the ball into your own hands...
If you are used to having other people do everything for you, or must have instant gratification, a top level cookie cutter travel agency is the way to go. They have already thought everything out for you. The downside is that this will cost more in more ways than the obvious. That smiling service is not free, my friend.
By the same token, an independent travel agency may give you more bang for your buck, but they are probably hooked up in subtle or not so subtle ways with the big organizations anyway, so it really boils down to the same thing.
Where you really shine is when you deal directly with the local companies where you plan to go. It's not as safe, secure, and dull as the other choices, but by and large, again, if you do your homework, you'll be able in most cases to see who is legit and who is not. For example, most travel companies in other countries are accredited by their country to be in business. They are proud of this, since they are paying handsomely for it and you'll be able to check up on them.

Two examples of in-country agencies:
● Incoming Free Travel Brochure: This is a larger in-country company that makes package tours with...
● Receptive Agencies: A local company in your choice country that conducts local tours.

You want to hook up with an Incoming Operator or if you are especially adventurous, deal directly with the local receptive. In the end, it is the receptive that makes your vacation work by providing local tours, accommodations, and backup.
Here is how you get that bang for your buck...though you may not necessarily save money. And, since it's your Vacation of a Lifetime, money should not be your first consideration anyway.
Ok, you decide to go with the "Very Large Vacation Agency" here in the good old USA. They set up your vacation through an Incoming Operator or directly with the Receptive. The price for the ground portion of your vacation, say, is $500. By the time everybody gets their cut, something must go. Chances are that you, being a beginner, and not very bright in the process, won't even notice what you're missing. In this scenario, what happens is that the Receptive, who offers 10 tour options for say, $100, reduces your tours to 5 when their cut is only $50. Makes sense, doesn't it?
The point I'm making is that for the money, you can get much more from that local receptive if you deal directly with them. Cut out the middleman, as they say. Pay the $100 directly and get it all.
Through diligent study of your chosen vacation spot, you can get the most bang for your buck.
The keyword, "travel" is and has been the #1 search term on the Internet since it began...by far the largest. It's one area where the net really shines, and by using the vast resources at your fingertips, email and the like, you can make your arrangements yourself and have all the fun doing it...and learn something in the process. Your vacation will be far far richer for your effort.
A final note. I made references to the helpless among us. This isn't you, my friend, else you would not be here reading along. You will do very well in your travels. I'm sure of it!
Mr. Morrison operated BrazilAmerica.com for four years which was the internet portion of an incoming tour operator in Brazil.

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BrazilAmerica

2009-08-09T14:35:00.001-07:00

Brazil

Make The Switch to BrazilAmerica and OceanView Tours and Travel! Your Largest Source for Brazil Anywhere!
When it comes to Brazil, Brasil, tours, and travel, we are here to serve you. Our BrazilAmerica website is by far the largest source for information on northeast Brazil on the internet.

It's designed as your personal online tour booklet. Perfect for honeymoons, vacation, incentive, and group travel enthusiasts.

We also offer our services to the Amazon, Pantanal, Foz do Igua��, Rio de Janeiro, and all other points in the country.

We're making new friends every day. Many folks start their mail with, "Can you help us with Brazil?" Our answer is always YES! Come inside and see why. Contact us. We want to serve you!
Sincerely,
Your friends at BrazilAmerica.com!

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