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Petrobras not part of oil spill probe-CEO

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 17:22 GMT

Source: reuters // Reuters

(Adds further comments)

By Tom Bergin

DOHA, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The Chief Executive of Petrobras denied on Tuesday his company was being investigated in relation to an oil spill at a Brazilian field operated by U.S. oil group Chevron.

On Saturday, the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper reported on its Web site that Brazilian prosecutors were probing the possible involvement of state-led Petrobras in the November offshore oil spill, and that at least one Petrobras employee was believed to be on the drilling rig involved.

"It's a complete lie ... There's no personnel of Petrobras on board (the rig)," Jose Sergio Gabrielli told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Petroleum Congress.

He added he was comfortable if regulator ANP did decide to exercise its right to investigate Petrobras, which has an interest in the field.

He added that the group's Brazilian crude production would be lower than expected this year.

"Our production in 2011 did not grow as much as thought ... our target for average of 2011 was 2.1 million barrels per day, we are going to be below that, I think, about 2.5 (OR) ... 5 percent below that," he said.

"It's a combination of ... big factors: we have some delays on delivery of drilling rigs and we had some unprogrammed stoppages and we have some reservoir technical problems."

Petrobras's partner in some fields in what is known as the "pre-salt" area, BG Group, has told investors it may sell down part of its interest in Brazil. Gabrielli said he would likely exercise his company's pre-emption rights if this happened.

"Probably, that would depend on price but probably, yes" (Editing by David Holmes)