American officials in March asked the Brazilian state oil company Petrobras to increase oil production, but received a refusal, Reuters reports citing three sources. Washington’s request was followed by a sharp increase in world prices after the start of the “special operation” of Russia.
Representatives of the company’s company said that the level of production is the function of business strategy, not diplomacy, and that a significant short-term increase in production will not be possible in terms of logistics, sources said.
“We work with energy companies in order to increase their capabilities in supplying energy to the market, especially in conditions of rising prices,” the official noted, not becoming details or comment on the March meeting with the official representatives of Petrobras. Petrobras denies that there was any meeting with representatives of the US State Department.