Petrobras staff on strike against sale of assets
Oil workers have organized a protest today (July 24) against the sale of Petrobras' assets and the changes in the model for pre-salt exploration.
Oil workers have organized a protest today (July 24) against the sale of Petrobras' assets and the changes in the model for pre-salt exploration. According to the Unified Trade Union of Oil Workers of São Paulo (Sindipetro), the group has managed to halt all production units in the state.
The general coordinator of the organization, Cybele Vieira, affirmed that since midnight from today the oil refineries of Paulínia, Mauá, Santos and Cubatão have stopped, along with nine terminals of Transpetro, Petrobras' carrier. Across the country, similar actions have been carried out.
In a board meeting in February 26, the company has approved the decision of selling $13.7 billion of assets until 2016. The sale will be divided between the areas of exploration and production in Brazil and abroad (30%).
In the opinion of the Sindipetro coordinator, the company should seek different options to overcome the crisis. “Petrobras has indeed a large debt, but because it is one of the companies that invests the most in the world. Because it is the oil company that discovers more oil. It is actually a good debt,” she pointed out.
According to her, to sell the company's asset in order to reduce debt is not the best option. “One thing is to temporarily decrease investment, but to get rid of structure is something completely different,” she noted.
One of the solutions presented by the union leader is to increase Petrobras' participation in the pre-salt oil exploration. Instead of taking Petrobras out of pre-salt, why not giving more pre-salt fields to Petrobras in order to raise the company's value and reduce the ratio between debt and entity?” she questioned.
The bill repealing the mandatory participation of Petrobras in pre-salt oil exploration and production is under discussion in Congress. Under current law, ed in 2010, the state should have a share of at least 30% of exploration and production in each bid.
About the protest, Petrobras informed in a statement that "the company's activities are within the normal range, without loss in production."
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: Petrobras staff on strike against sale of assets
