In a seismic move reshaping the oil industry landscape, Brazil’s state-owned oil company, Petrobras, has unveiled a groundbreaking shift away from dollar-based fuel pricing, according to an announcement made by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio ‘Lula’ da Silva.
This revolutionary move, called “Brazilianization,” will see the company set its internal fuel pricing structure independent of US dollar-pegged international prices.
A new era for fuel pricing
“We have regained our freedom to set prices. We have liberated ourselves from the single and exclusive factor, which was parity,” announced Petrobras president, Jean Paul Prates, during a press conference in Brasília.
The company confirmed that they will be reducing the average price of diesel for distributors by R$0.44 per liter, taking it from R$3.46 to R$3.02. Similarly, the average price of gasoline will see a reduction of R$ 0.40 per liter, coming down from R$ 3.18 to R$ 2.78.
In a significant caveat, Petrobras clarified that the price consumers pay at the pump will still be influenced by other factors, such as taxes, biofuel blends, and profit margins from distribution and resale.
Yet, this transformative decision marks a distinct departure from the previous pricing regime and lays the groundwork for a more Brazil-focused oil industry.
Sweeping changes, sweeping savings
In addition to these reductions, Petrobras also revealed a substantial cut of 21.3% in the average selling price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
From this week onwards, a 13-kilogram bottle of LPG will be sold to distributors for an average price of R$ 8.97 less than the current price. Provided distributors pass on these savings in full, consumers could see a reduction to an average price of R$ 99.87 per cylinder.
President Lula has described the move as a “victory for the people,” achieving one of his presidential campaign promises. Fuel and diesel prices are set to be lowered by over 12%, while gas prices will see a reduction of 21.3% for wholesalers and distributors.
Despite this, Petrobras was keen to stress that not all of these discounts would be directly transferred to customers at the pump. Still, the broader implications of these changes signify a significant shift in Brazil’s oil industry, marking a defining moment in the nation’s energy sector.
The newly unveiled pricing policy will rely on two separate benchmarks for setting wholesale prices. The first benchmark, the ‘alternative customer cost,’ will be based on prices that other providers have on similar or substitute products.
The second, ‘marginal Petrobras costs,’ will pertain to the costs of various alternatives for the company, encompassing production, import, and export.
These prices will be set without adhering to a specific time schedule and will be insulated from the fluctuations of the energy commodities market. This innovative approach, Petrobras affirmed, will “maintain a price level that guarantees the realization of investments foreseen in the strategic planning” of the company.
This recent move is not the first by President Lula aimed at reducing Brazil’s dependence on the U.S. dollar.
He has previously advocated for the use of the Chinese yuan as a settlement currency for bilateral settlements with China and criticized the usage of the US dollar as the default reserve currency.
Now, as Brazil breaks its fuel price ties with the U.S. dollar, the nation steps into a new era of independence in its energy sector.
