Petrobras (PBR)

(f) Investments in non-consolidated companies

The Company uses the equity method of accounting for all long-term investments for which it owns between 20% and 50% of the investee’s outstanding voting stock or has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of the investee without controlling it. The equity method requires periodic adjustments to the investment account to recognize the Company’s proportionate share in the investee’s results, reduced by receipt of investee’s dividends.

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(f) Investments in non-consolidated companies

The Company uses the equity method of accounting for all long-term investments for which it owns between 20% and 50% of the investee’s outstanding voting stock or has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of the investee without controlling it. The equity method requires periodic adjustments to the investment account to recognize the Company’s proportionate share in the investee’s results, reduced by receipt of investee’s dividends.

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2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(g) Property, plant and equipment

• Costs incurred in oil and gas producing activities

The costs incurred in connection with the exploration, development and production of oil and gas are recorded in accordance with the “successful efforts” method. This method requires that costs the Company incurs in connection with the drilling of developmental wells and facilities in proved reserve production areas and successful exploratory wells be capitalized. In addition, costs the Company incurs in connection with geological and geophysical activities are charged to the statements of income in the year incurred, and the costs relating to exploratory dry wells on unproved reserve properties are charged to the statements of income when determined as dry or uneconomical.

• Capitalized costs

The capitalized costs are depreciated based on the unit-of-production method using proved developed reserves. These reserves are estimated by the Company’s geologists and petroleum engineers in accordance with SEC standards and are reviewed annually, or more frequently when there are indications of significant changes.

• Property acquisition costs

Costs of acquiring developed or undeveloped leaseholds including lease bonus, brokerage, and other fees are capitalized. The costs of undeveloped properties that become productive are transferred to a producing property account.

• Exploratory costs

Exploratory wells that find oil and gas in an area requiring a major capital expenditure before production begins are evaluated annually to assure that commercial quantities of reserves have been found or that additional exploration work is underway or planned. Exploratory costs related to areas where commercial quantities have been found are capitalized, and exploratory costs where additional work is underway or planned continue to be capitalized pending final evaluation. Exploratory well costs not meeting either of these tests are charged to expense. All other exploratory costs (including geological and geophysical costs) are expensed as incurred. Exploratory dry holes are expensed.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(g) Property, plant and equipment (Continued)

• Development costs

Costs of development wells including wells platforms, well equipment and attendant production facilities are capitalized.

• Production costs

Costs incurred with producing wells are recorded as inventories and are expensed when the products are sold.

• Abandonment costs

The Company makes its annual reviews and revision of its estimated costs associated with well abandonment and the demobilization of oil and gas production areas, considering new information about date of expected abandonment and revised cost estimates to abandon. The changes in estimated asset retirement obligation are principally related to the commercial declaration of new fields, certain changes in cost estimates, and revisions to abandonment information provided for non-operated joint ventures.

• Depreciation, depletion and amortization

Depreciation, depletion and amortization of leasehold costs of producing properties are recorded using the unit-of-production method applied on a field by field basis as a ratio of proved developed reserves. Production platform under capital lease which is not tied to the respective wells, are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the platforms. Depreciation, depletion and amortization of all other capitalized costs (both tangible and intangible) of proved oil and gas producing properties is recorded using the unit- of-production method applied on a field by field basis as a ratio of proved developed reserves produced. The straight-line method is used for assets with a useful life shorted than the life of the field.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(g) Property, plant and equipment (Continued)

• Depreciation, depletion and amortization (Continued)

Other plant and equipment are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives:

• Impairment

In accordance with SFAS No. 144 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets (“SFAS 144”), management reviews long-lived assets, primarily property, plant and equipment to be used in the business and capitalized costs relating to oil and gas producing activities, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset or group of assets may not be recoverable on the bases of undiscounted future cash flows. The reviews are carried out at the lowest level of assets to which the Company is able to attribute identifiable future cash flows. The net book value of the underlying assets is adjusted to their fair value using a discounted future cash flows model, if the sum of the expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the book value.

• Maintenance and repairs

The actual costs of major maintenance, including turnarounds at refineries and vessels, as well as other expenditures for maintenance and repairs, are expensed as incurred.

• Capitalized interest

Interest is capitalized in accordance with SFAS No. 34 - Capitalization of Interest Cost (“SFAS 34”). Interest is capitalized on specific projects when a construction process involves considerable time and involves major capital expenditures. Capitalized interest is allocated to property, plant and equipment and amortized over the estimated useful lives or unit-of-production method of the related assets. Interest is capitalized at the Company’s weighted average cost of borrowings.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(h) Revenues, costs and expenses

Revenues from sales of crude oil and oil products, petrochemical products and others are recognized on an accrual basis when the title is transferred to the customer. Revenues from sales of natural gas are accounted for when the natural gas is transferred to the customer. Subsequent adjustments to revenues based on production sharing agreements or volumetric delivery differences are not significant. Costs and expenses are accounted for on an accrual basis.

(g) Investments in non-consolidated companies

The Company uses the equity method of accounting for all long-term investments for which it owns between 20% and 50% of the investee’s outstanding voting stock or has the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of the investee. The equity method requires periodic adjustments to the investment account to recognize the Company’s proportionate share in the investee’s results, reduced by receipt of investee’s dividends.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(h) Property, plant and equipment

• Costs incurred in oil and gas producing activities

The costs incurred in connection with the exploration, development and production of oil and gas are recorded in accordance with the “successful efforts” method. This method requires that costs the Company incurs in connection with the drilling of developmental wells and facilities in proved reserve production areas and successful exploratory wells be capitalized. In addition, costs the Company incurs in connection with geological and geophysical activities are charged to the statements of income in the year incurred, and the costs relating to exploratory dry wells on unproven reserve properties are charged to the statements of income when determined as dry or uneconomical.

• Capitalized costs

The capitalized costs are depreciated based on the unit-of-production method using proved developed reserves. These reserves are estimated by the Company’s geologists and petroleum engineers in accordance with SEC standards and are reviewed annually, or more frequently when there are indications of significant changes in the Company’s reserves.

• Property acquisition costs

Costs of acquiring developed or undeveloped leaseholds including lease bonus, brokerage, and other fees are capitalized. The costs of undeveloped properties that become productive are transferred to a producing property account.

• Exploratory costs

Exploratory wells that find oil and gas in an area requiring a major capital expenditure before production begins are evaluated annually to assure that commercial quantities of reserves have been found or that additional exploration work is underway or planned. Exploratory costs related to areas where commercial quantities have been found are capitalized, and exploratory costs where additional work is underway or planned continue to be capitalized pending final evaluation. Exploratory well costs not meeting either of these tests are charged to expense. All other exploratory costs (including geological and geophysical costs) are expensed as incurred. Exploratory dry holes are expensed.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(h) Property, plant and equipment (Continued)

• Development costs

Costs of development wells including dry holes, platforms, well equipment and attendant production facilities are capitalized.

• Production costs

Costs incurred with producing wells are recorded as inventories and are expensed when the products are sold.

• Abandonment costs

The Company makes its annual reviews and revision of its estimated costs associated with well abandonment and the demobilization of oil and gas production areas, considering new information about date of expected abandonment and revised cost estimates to abandon. The changes in estimated asset retirement obligation are principally related to the commercial declaration of new fields, certain changes in cost estimates, and revisions to abandonment information provided for non-operated joint ventures.

• Depreciation, depletion and amortization

Depreciation, depletion and amortization of leasehold costs of producing properties are recorded using the unit-of-production method applied on a field by field basis as a ratio of proved developed reserves. Production platform under capital lease are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the platforms. Depreciation, depletion and amortization of all other capitalized costs (both tangible and intangible) of proved oil and gas producing properties is recorded using the unit-of-production method applied on a field by field basis as a ratio of proved developed reserves produced. The straight-line method is used for assets with a useful life shorted than the life of the field.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(h) Property, plant and equipment (Continued)

• Depreciation, depletion and amortization (Continued)

Other plant and equipment are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the following estimated useful lives:

(1) In 2006 the Company reviewed prospectively the estimation of depreciation and changed the rate from 10-25 to years to 15-25 years and the effect in the result was US$67.

• Impairment

In accordance with SFAS No. 144 - Impairment of Long-Lived Assets (“SFAS 144”), management reviews long-lived assets, primarily property, plant and equipment to be used in the business and capitalized costs relating to oil and gas producing activities, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset or group of assets may not be recoverable on the bases of undiscounted future cash flows. The reviews are carried out at the lowest level of assets to which the Company is able to attribute identifiable future cash flows. The net book value of the underlying assets is adjusted to their fair value using a discounted future cash flows model, if the sum of the expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the book value.

• Maintenance and repairs

The actual costs of major maintenance, including turnarounds at refineries and vessels, as well as other expenditures for maintenance and repairs, are expensed as incurred.

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Table of Contents

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)

(h) Property, plant and equipment (Continued)

• Capitalized interest

Interest is capitalized in accordance with SFAS No. 34 - Capitalization of Interest Cost (“SFAS 34”). Interest is capitalized on specific projects when a construction process involves considerable time and involves major capital expenditures. Capitalized interest is allocated to property, plant and equipment and amortized over the estimated useful lives or unit-of-production method of the related assets. Interest is capitalized at the Company’s weighted average cost of borrowings.