Text LI-I

___PETROBRAS became the latest oil group to benefit from last year’s surge in oil prices when the Brazilian company reported that net profits in 2000 had more than quadrupled to R$ 9.94 bn (US$ 4.97 bn) — the highest figure ever recorded by a Brazilian company.

___The rise in net profits was the result of increases in production and the company’s efforts to scale up bureaucracy.

___Under the leadership of Henri Philippe Reichstul, who took over as president in 1999, PETROBRAS has embarked on a US$ 33 bn investment plan over five years to virtually double oil and gas production, clean up the company’s financial affairs and expand abroad.

___In August last year, PETROBRAS boosted its profile in the international investment community with a successful US$ 4 bn share offering, the largest made by a Brazilian company.

___However, the group’s effortsto modernize itsimage suffered a setback in December when the government forced it to abandon a plan to change its name to “PETROBRAX” which was designed to reflect its increasing international presence.

Internet: <http://news.ft.com/news/worldnews/americas> (with adaptations).

three goals were settled when Henri Philippe Reichstul took over PETROBRAS's presidency.

Henri Philippe Reichstul became PETROBRAS's president the year before last.

at least three factors contributed to the rise in PETROBRAS's net profits.

never before last year, had any Brazilian company had the same financial performance as PETROBRAS did.

US$ 4.97 bn means four billion and ninety-seven dollars.

in 2000, the relation between dollars and reais was, at least once, one to two, respectively.

it took some time for PETROBRAS to benefit from 2000's increase in oil prices.

Existe crises no setor energético, na educação, na saúde, na segurança, e no funcionamento da máquina administrativa; todavia um fato enche-nos de esperança: as lideranças políticas estão empenhadas com melhorar as condições de vida da população.

Os depoentes acreditam a despeito de toda a conjuntura nacional, que a situação vai induzir as indústrias, a buscarem soluções criativas para a superação da adversidade.