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Petrobras signs purchase agreement of Japanese refinery

(Rio de Janeiro, November 9, 2007). – PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S/A - PETROBRAS, [Bovespa: PETR3/PETR4, NYSE: PBR/PBRA, Latibex: XPBR/XPBRA, BCBA: APBR/APBRA], a Brazilian international energy company, announces that signed today (11/09) with TonenGeneral Sekiyu Kabushiki Kaisha (TGSK), a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, the purchase document (Share Sale and Purchase Agreement) of 87.5% interest in the Japanese Company Nansei Sekiyu Kabushiki Kaisha (NSS), for the value of approximately US$ 50 million. Besides TonenGeneral, NSS also has Sumitomo as a shareholder, which will remain with 12.5% of NSS in partnership with Petrobras.

The acquisition includes a refinery with capacity of 100 thousand bpd, that process light crude oil and high quality products, a crude oil and products terminal with storage capacity of 9.6 million barrels, three piers with capacity to receive product vessels of up to 97 thousand deadweight tonnage (dwt) and a mono buoy for Very Large Crude vessels (VLCC) of up to 280 thousand dwt.

It is planned the use of terminal capacity in order to boost the commercialization of biofuels in Japan and other Asian markets and complement current trading of crude oil and products into Asian market of approximately 100,000 bpd.

This business is an important achievement for Petrobras as the company will start refining operations in Asia for the first time. This agreement is in alignment with the Company’s Strategic Plan for the crude oil refining capacity expansion abroad. It also contributes in a significant way to increase the commercialization of crude oil and products produced by Petrobras.

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www.petrobras.com.br/ri/english
Contacts: PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S. A. – PETROBRAS
Investor Relations Department I E-mail: petroinvest@petrobras.com.br / acionistas@petrobras.com.br
Av. República do Chile, 65 – 22^nd floor - 20031-912 - Rio de Janeiro, RJ I Tel.: 55 (21) 3224-1510 / 9947

This document may contain forecasts that merely reflect the expectations of the Company’s management. Such terms as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “forecast”, “intend”, “plan”, “project”, “seek”, “should”, along with similar or analogous expressions, are used to identify such forecasts. These predictions evidently involve risks and uncertainties, whether foreseen or not by the Company. Therefore, the future results of operations may differ from current expectations, and readers must not base their expectations exclusively on the information presented herein.

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This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are statements that are not historical facts, and are based on management's current view and estimates offuture economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance and financial results. The words "anticipates", "believes", "estimates", "expects", "plans" and similar expressions, as they relate to the company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the declaration or payment of dividends, the implementation of principal operating and financing strategies and capital expenditure plans, the direction of future operations and the factors or trends affecting financial condition, liquidity or results of operations are examples of forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. There is no guarantee that the expected events, trends or results will actually occur. The statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, and operating factors. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.

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