Petrobras to Build Refinery in Rio Grande Norte

Brazilian energy major Petrobras has announced that it will build its 12th refinery in the state of Rio Grande Norte in Brazil.

This refinery will have a new plant to produce gasoline and to improve the quality of the other derivatives, such as aviation fuel, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas. This new unit is expected to go online in 2010.

Petrobras has also expressed interest in studying together with the government of the Ceara state of Brazil, the possibility of setting up a premium 300,000 barrel-per-day refinery. The refinery’s first operation phase is scheduled to start in 2014.

Petrobras and the government of Ceara will study the terms of a memorandum of understanding to be signed in no more than 120 days to establish the initial premises for the parts’ performance in project implementation.