An auction next month of oilfields in Brazil may be the priciest ever held, raising at least $50 billion in licensing fees and compensation, according to people familiar with government estimates.

Brazil has announced the rules for an auction of oil drilling rights worth $26bn, setting the stage for Latin America’s top crude producer to become an even bigger player in the global market.

Accounting net income excluding non-recurring factors was US$ 1.3 billion and operating cash flow reached US$ 5.2 billion. Advances in pre-salt exploration, with lower lifting cost (US$ 6/boe) and better quality of oil, allowed adjusted EBITDA per barrel of oil equivalent (boe) in the exploration & production (E&P) business to reach US$ 33.50 in 2Q19 against US$ 29.50 last year, despite the drop in average Brent oil prices from US$ 71.0 to US$ 68.8.

Brazil's GDP growth is projected at 0.8 percent in 2019 and to accelerate in 2020 conditional on the approval of a robust pension reform and favorable financial conditions. The current budget is guided by the federal expenditure ceiling, entailing a minor reduction of the structural primary balance in 2019.

Brazil has seen its exports of crude grow from 734,000 b/d in 2015 to 1.3 million b/d in Q1 of this year. In contrast, Mexico, which was once a powerhouse of oil production, has maintained its export status only through curtailment of domestic refining, not increased crude oil output.

After contracting by almost 7 percent during the 2015-16 recession, real GDP grew by only 1.1 percent per year in 2017 and 2018.

REUTERS - A consortium led by French utility Engie has won a bid for Petrobras’ TAG pipeline arm with an $8.6 billion offer, in a deal that boosts Engie’s presence in a fast-growing sector and will help Petrobras cut its debts.

Brazilian state-led oil producer and refiner Petrobras expects to ramp up its divestments in the near term, with a series of deals expected to close by the end of April, according to Chief Executive Roberto Castello Branco.

Net income in 2018 was US$ 7,173 million, equivalent to US$ 0.55 EPS, reflecting higher operating income and improved financial results, due to lower interest expenses as a result of lower indebtedness and gains due to the renegotiation of debts of the electric sector.

PLATTS - Brazilian state-led oil company Petrobras registered a 1.4% month-on-month slide in domestic crude oil output in November as ongoing maintenance work at offshore floating production units offset fresh flows from new wells.