MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Petrobras oil production 2,1 million barrels/day.

The average oil and natural gas daily production of Petrobas in Brazil and abroad during August reached 2,091,506 barrels, a 2,6% expansion over July and 12,2% above twelve months ago.

A greater operational efficiency in Brazil's main oil field, the Campos Basin and production increases in company interests in Argentina, Venezuela and Ecuador had a major influence.

Domestic oil and natural gas production in barrels equivalent, BOE, was 1,841,150 barrels per day, a 2,6% increase over July. Similarly overseas production from Petrobras assets totalled 230,356 barrels per day, a 2,4% increase over the previous month.

Actually Petrobras production abroad was 315% greater than August 2002 reflecting the recent acquisition of the former Argentine group Perez Companc assets now operating under Petrobras Energía.

Domestic oil production reached 1,586,589 daily barrels, 2,6 and 2,3 percentage increases over last July and August 2002. However natural gas from Brazilian fields was equivalent to 40,772 million cubic metres.

Overseas oil production was 164,073 oil barrels per day and 14,660 million cubic metres of natural gas.

Campos Basin offshore Rio do Janeiro remains as the most productive Brazilian field with a daily off-shore production of 1,273,561 million barrels per day and 17,316 million cubic metres of natural gas per day.