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This excerpt taken from the PBR 20-F filed Jun 30, 2005. PRODUCTS AND QUANTITIES TRANSPORTED
The average monthly-chartered tonnage in 2004 amounted to 4.6 million deadweight tons, as compared to 4.0 million deadweight tons in 2003 and 3.9 million deadweight tons in 2002. The chartered tonnage is continuously adjusted to our needs for overall market supply cost reduction. Our aggregate annual cost for vessel charters was U.S.$701 million in 2004, U.S.$537 million in 2003 and U.S.$431 million in 2002.
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Table of ContentsPetrochemicals
We conduct our petrochemical activities through our subsidiary, Petrobras Química S.A., or Petroquisa, with the exception of naphtha sales. Petroquisa is a holding company that holds interests in eight operational petrochemical companies involved in the production and sale of basic petrochemical products, derivative petrochemical products and utilities. At December 31, 2004, our ownership percentage of the total capital of these investees ranged from 8.45% to 85.04% and our ownership percentage of the voting capital of these investees ranged from 10.02% to 70.45%. The total book value of these investments was U.S.$918 million on December 31, 2004. Most of such interests are minority voting interests. In 2004, Petroquisa increased its participation in one of its investees, Petroquímica Triunfo, from 45.22% to 70.45% of its voting capital and from 59.92% to 85.04% of its total capital, through an acquisition from Dow Chemical for U.S.$ 32.5 million.
The basic supply feedstock used in Brazils petrochemical industry is naphtha, an oil based product. Until 2001, we were the sole supplier of naphtha to Brazils petrochemical industry. Following deregulation of the product in 2002, the petrochemical industry began importing naphtha directly. In 2004, the industry imported approximately 33% of its naphtha needs, and we supply the remainder from our refining operations.
Our petrochemicals business, based on the equity in results of affiliate companies, accounted for U.S.$13 million in 2004. We currently expect to maintain a presence in the petrochemicals industry principally by participating in projects integrated with our refineries. We expect that our selective investments in petrochemicals will solidify our involvement in the entire value chain, integrating refining and basic and derivative products. Although we have divested certain interests in the petrochemical segment in the past, we plan to increase the current level of our investments, as part of our downstream strategy.
In line with our strategy of stimulating demand for natural gas products, we also continue to invest in Rio Polímeros S.A., which is located next to our Duque de Caxias refinery (REDUC). In addition to Petroquisa, the three other investors are BNDESPAR and two leading private Brazilian petrochemical companies, Suzano and Unipar. Petroquisa holds a 16.7% interest of the voting and preferred capital in Rio Polímeros. Of the approximately U.S.$1.08 billion budgeted construction cost, 60% is being provided by long-term loans from, or guaranteed by, U.S. Ex-Im Bank, BNDES (the Brazilian Federal Development Bank) and SACE (the Italian Export Credit Agency), and 40% is funded by equity investments, of which our portion is approximately U.S.$72 million. At December 31, 2004, we had spent approximately U.S.$66 million of this total. We expect Rio Polímeros to be operational by mid-2005 with nominal capacity plant of 540,000 tons per year of polyethylene and 79,000 tons per year of propylene. The polyethylene and propylene will be produced from ethane and propane extracted from natural gas originated in the Campos Basin.
According to our 2004-2010 Strategic Plan, we intend to spend approximately U.S.$1.1 billion in capital expenditures in our petrochemicals operation from 2004 to 2010. Such investment will be aimed at increasing production of our basic petrochemicals, including polyolefins (polyethylene and polypropylene), acrylic acid and terephtalic acid. These projects will be carried out in conjunction with other partners. Additionally, the preliminary technical and economic feasibility studies carried out by Petrobras identified the construction of a basic petrochemical complex as an important opportunity. This complex would integrate refinery units and petrochemical facilities to produce petrochemical raw materials like ethylene, propylene, aromatics and its petrochemical derivatives, like polyethylene and polypropylene, in order to supply the growing demand for such products in the Brazilian market. This opportunity is now under study.
In April 2005, we sold our interest in Companhia Alagoas Industrial CINAL for US$2.9 million, as its output was not related to our core business.
On April 29, 2005, Odebrecht, Norquisa and ODBPAR (the Odebrecht Group) and Petroquisa entered into a second amendment of the memorandum of understanding, which granted an option to Petroquisa to acquire an amount of Braskem voting shares sufficient to increase its existing participation in Braskem to up to 30% of Braskem voting share capital (which we refer to as Option Shares). Petroquisa must do so by December 31, 2005, through the contribution of its ownership interest in companies located in the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex and in other companies considered strategic by Braskem (which we refer to as Assets). If the value of the Assets is
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Table of Contentsinsufficient for Petroquisa to obtain the desired level of ownership, Odebrecht Group will sell the remaining Option Shares. On the other hand, if the value of the Assets would permit Petroquisa to increase its participation in Braskem to more than 30% of Braskem voting shares, Petroquisa will be limited to 30% and will use the additional Assets to acquire class A preferred shares. Petroquisa must inform the other parties to the agreement what assets it intends to contribute by September 29, 2005. Odebrecht Group has the right to terminate the option if it determines that Petroquisa has not included in the Assets its ownership interests in companies that Odebrecht Group considers essential in the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex.
The valuation process of the Assets in order to allow for the possible exercise of the option will begin by October 14, 2005. The Option Shares will be valued using the discounted cash flow method, without giving effect to any control premium. The Second Amendment eliminates the restriction on Petroquisa from owning interests in other petrochemical companies or projects following its exercise of the option. Simultaneously with the exercise of the option, the parties have agreed to enter into a shareholders agreement in respect of their ownership interests in Braskem.
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