Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08RIODEJANEIRO276
2008-10-02 15:17:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Cable title:  

BRAZIL: AMBASSADOR SOBEL PROMOTES COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Tags:  EINV ETRD EPET ENRG BR 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7163
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHRI #0276 2761517
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021517Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4656
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0987
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 5194
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 3464
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
UNCLAS RIO DE JANEIRO 000276 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/BSC
USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC/JANDERSEN/ADRISCOLL/MWAR D

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV ETRD EPET ENRG BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL: AMBASSADOR SOBEL PROMOTES COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
FOR U.S. FIRMS AT THE RIO OIL AND GAS EXPO

UNCLAS RIO DE JANEIRO 000276

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/BSC
USDOC FOR 4332/ITA/MAC/WH/OLAC/JANDERSEN/ADRISCOLL/MWAR D

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV ETRD EPET ENRG BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL: AMBASSADOR SOBEL PROMOTES COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
FOR U.S. FIRMS AT THE RIO OIL AND GAS EXPO


1. Summary. On September 17, 2008, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil
Clifford Sobel welcomed approximately 80 representatives from U.S.
firms to a seminar at the Rio Oil and Gas Expo 2008 to discuss
commercial opportunities in the energy sector. The seminar,
organized by the U.S. Commercial Service, featured presentations by
Petrobras and Brazil's National Petroleum Agency (ANP). End
Summary.


2. The Rio Oil and Gas Expo, organized by the Brazilian Petroleum
Institute (IBP) is one of the largest oil and gas industry events in
the world. The event, which takes place every two years in Rio de
Janeiro, attracted over 35,000 people this year. As part of his
participation in the expo, U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Clifford Sobel
hosted a seminar for approximately 80 participants entitled
"Commercial Opportunities in Brazil for U.S. Firms."


3. The seminar featured speakers from the Brazilian oil company
Petrobras on opportunities for U.S. equipment suppliers and service
providers to do business with Petrobras. In 2007, Petrobras spent
USD 5.2 billion for equipment, chemicals, and parts; USD 23.6
billion for seismic, drilling and transport services; and USD 11.0
billion on platforms and refineries. According to Petrobras
Materials Manager Paulo Alonso, U.S. firms can play and important
role in supplying critical upstream goods such as production
pipeline alloy coatings, turbo compressors, mooring systems,
drilling bits, special submarine valves, and steam generators.
Alonso also identified critical E&P services such as drilling,
workover, undersea interconnection, and support to ROVs which could
be provided by U.S. firms.


4. Nelson Narciso, a Director at Brazil's National Petroleum Agency
- ANP (the national oil regulator) briefed U.S. companies on the
upcoming licensing auction for oil and gas rights and potential
changes to Brazil's regulatory framework. Brazil will respect
existing contracts and maintain a transparent, stable regulatory
regime, Narciso said. With regards to roles for U.S. firms, he said
that many American companies are already participating in Brazil's
bid rounds but that more opportunities exist, especially on-shore.
For goods and services, he noted Brazil's rules for local content
requirement and advised that partnering with Brazilian firms would
be a good strategy for American companies.


5. Following the seminar, the Ambassador walked the show floor,
where he visited several U.S. exhibitors. We requested information
on how the four states represented in the U.S. Pavilion (OK, LA, PA
and TX) could be helpful to the pending U.S. visit of Brazil's
Minister of Energy Edilson Lobao to enhance his opportunities to
learn to better access U.S. markets and suppliers.


6. Kallman Worldwide, a New Jersey firm, organized the U.S.
Pavilion organizer and sponsored the commercial seminar. Petrobras
and ANP presentations from the seminar are posted online at the FCS
Rio de Janeiro website.

MARTINEZ