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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 11, 2009
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
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Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.Petrobras
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Petrobras International Finance Company |
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
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(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) |
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Brazilian Petroleum CorporationPetrobras
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Not Applicable |
(Translation of Registrants name into English)
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(Translation of Registrants name into English) |
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The Federative Republic of Brazil
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Cayman Islands |
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or |
organization)
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organization) |
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Not Applicable
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Not Applicable |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)
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(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
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Avenida República do Chile, 65
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4th Floor, Harbour Place |
20031-912 Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil
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103 South Church Street, PO Box 1034GT, |
(55-21) 3224-4477
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George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, BWI |
(Address and telephone number of Registrants
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(55-21) 3487-2375 |
principal executive offices)
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(Address and telephone number of Registrants |
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principal executive offices) |
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.Petrobras
570 Lexington Avenue, 43 rd Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 829-1517
(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)
Copy to:
Francesca L. Odell, Esq.
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
One Liberty Plaza
New York, New York 10006
(212) 225-2000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this
registration statement becomes effective.
If only securities being registered on this Form are to be offered pursuant to dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, please check the following box: o
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous
basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box: þ
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b)
under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration
statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: o
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act,
check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering: o
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective
amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule
462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box: þ
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General
Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities
pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box: o
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
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Proposed |
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Proposed |
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Amount |
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Maximum |
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Maximum |
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Amount of |
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Title of Each Class of |
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to be |
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Offering Price |
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Aggregate |
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Registration |
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Securities to be Registered |
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Registered |
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Per Unit |
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Offering Price |
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Fee |
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Debt Securities |
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See Note (1) |
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Debt Warrants |
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Preferred Shares, without par value, which
may be
represented by American Depositary Shares (2) |
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Common Shares, without par value, which may
be
represented by American Depositary Shares (3) |
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Equity Warrants for Common Shares or
Preferred Shares, which may be represented
by American Depositary Shares (2)(3) |
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Mandatory Convertible Securities and
Guaranties (4) |
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(1) |
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The registrants are registering an indeterminate amount of securities
for offer and sale from time to time at indeterminate offering prices.
In reliance on Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, the registrants are deferring payment of all of the
registration fee relating to the registration of securities hereby
except for $132,365 that has already been paid with respect to the
unsold portion of the securities previously registered pursuant to the
registrants Registration Statements on Form F-3 (Nos. 333-139459 and
333-139459-01). |
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ADSs, each representing two preferred shares, issuable upon deposit of
the preferred shares being registered hereby, have been or will be
registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6. |
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(3) |
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ADSs, each representing two common shares, issuable upon deposit of
the preferred shares being registered hereby, have been or will be
registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6. |
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(4) |
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No separate consideration will be received for the guaranties or for
the debt securities, warrants, preferred shares, common shares and
mandatory convertible securities issuable upon the exercise or
conversion of, or in exchange for, debt securities, warrants,
preferred shares, common shares or mandatory convertible securities. |
P R O S P E C T U S
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. Petrobras
Debt Securities, Warrants,
Preferred Shares,
Preferred Shares represented by American Depositary Shares,
Common Shares,
Common Shares represented by American Depositary Shares,
Mandatory Convertible Securities and
Guaranties
Petrobras International Finance Company
Debt Securities, accompanied by Guaranties of Petrobras
Debt Warrants, accompanied by
Guaranties of Petrobras
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. Petrobras may from time to time offer debt securities, warrants,
preferred shares, common shares, mandatory convertible securities and guaranties, and Petrobras
International Finance Company may issue debt securities accompanied by guaranties of Petrobras and
debt warrants accompanied by guaranties of Petrobras. This prospectus describes some of the
general terms that may apply to these securities and the general manner in which they may be
offered. When we offer securities, the specific terms of the securities, including the offering
price, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, will be described in supplements to
this prospectus.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has
approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this
prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
December 11, 2009
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
In this prospectus, unless the context otherwise requires, references to Petrobras mean
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. and its consolidated subsidiaries taken as a whole and references to
PifCo mean Petrobras International Finance Company and its consolidated subsidiaries taken as a
whole. Terms such as we, us and our generally refer to Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. and Petrobras
International Finance Company, unless the context requires otherwise.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (which we refer to as the SEC) utilizing a shelf registration process. Under
this shelf process, Petrobras may sell any combination of debt securities, warrants, preferred
shares, common shares and securities mandatorily convertible into its preferred or common shares,
and PifCo may sell debt securities accompanied by guaranties of Petrobras and debt warrants
accompanied by guaranties of Petrobras in one or more offerings. Any preferred shares or common
shares of Petrobras, in one or more offerings, may be in the form of American depositary shares
(which we refer to as ADSs) evidenced by American depositary receipts (which we refer to as ADRs).
This prospectus only provides a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each
time we offer securities, we will prepare a prospectus supplement containing specific information
about the particular offering and the terms of those securities. We may also add, update or change
other information contained in this prospectus by means of a prospectus supplement or by
incorporating by reference information we file with the SEC. The registration statement that we
filed with the SEC includes exhibits that provide more detail on the matters discussed in this
prospectus. Before you invest in any securities offered by this prospectus, you should read this
prospectus, any related prospectus supplement and the related exhibits filed with the SEC, together
with the additional information described under the headings Where You Can Find More Information
and Incorporation of Certain Documents by Reference.
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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Many statements made or incorporated by reference in this prospectus are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Securities Act) and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange
Act), that are not based on historical facts and are not assurances of future results. Many of
the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus may be identified by the use of
forward-looking words, such as believe, expect, anticipate, should, planned, estimate
and potential, among others. We have made forward-looking statements that address, among other
things, our:
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regional marketing and expansion strategy; |
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drilling and other exploration activities; |
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import and export activities; |
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projected and targeted capital expenditures and other costs, commitments and
revenues; |
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liquidity; and |
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development of additional revenue sources. |
Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important
factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by
these forward-looking statements. These factors include, among other things:
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our ability to obtain financing; |
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general economic and business conditions, including crude oil and other commodity
prices, refining margins and prevailing exchange rates; |
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global economic conditions; |
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our ability to find, acquire or gain access to additional reserves and to
successfully develop our current ones; |
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uncertainties inherent in making estimates of our oil and gas reserves including
recently discovered oil and gas reserves; |
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competition; |
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technical difficulties in the operation of our equipment and the provision of our
services; |
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changes in, or failure to comply with, laws or regulations; |
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receipt of governmental approvals and licenses; |
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international and Brazilian political, economic and social developments; |
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military operations, acts of terrorism or sabotage, wars or embargoes; |
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the cost and availability of adequate insurance coverage; and |
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other factors identified under Risk Factors in our reports filed with the SEC that
are incorporated by reference in this prospectus. |
These statements are not guaranties of future performance and are subject to certain risks,
uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could
differ materially from those expressed or forecast in any forward-looking statements as a result of
a variety of factors, including those in Risk Factors as set forth in any prospectus supplement
and in documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary
statement, and you should not place reliance on any forward-looking statement contained in this
prospectus. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information or future events or for any other reason.
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PETROBRAS
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.Petrobras was incorporated in 1953 and is one of the worlds largest
integrated oil and gas companies. Petrobras is controlled by the Brazilian federal government, but
its common and preferred shares are publicly traded. Petrobras engages in a broad range of oil and
gas activities covering the following segments of its operations:
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Exploration and ProductionThis segment encompasses oil and gas exploration,
development and production activities in Brazil, sales and transfers of crude oil in
domestic and foreign markets, transfers of natural gas to the Gas and Energy segment and
sales of oil products produced at natural gas processing plants. |
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SupplyThis segment comprises Petrobras downstream activities in Brazil, including
refining, logistics, transportation, export and purchase of crude oil, as well as the
purchase and sale of oil products and ethanol. Additionally, this segment includes the
petrochemical and fertilizers division, which includes investments in domestic
petrochemical companies and two domestic fertilizer plants. |
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DistributionThis segment encompasses the oil product and ethanol distribution
activities conducted by Petrobras majority owned subsidiary, Petrobras Distribuidora
S.A.-BR, in Brazil. |
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Gas and EnergyThis segment consists primarily of the purchase, sale and
transportation and distribution of natural gas produced in or imported into Brazil.
This segment also includes Petrobras participation in domestic natural gas
transportation, natural gas distribution and thermoelectric power generation. |
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InternationalThis segment comprises Petrobras international activities conducted in
several countries, which include Exploration and Production, Supply (refining,
petrochemicals and fertilizers), Distribution and Gas and Energy. |
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CorporateThis segment includes financing activities not attributable to other
segments, including corporate financial management, central administrative overhead and
actuarial expenses related to Petrobras pension and health care plans for non-active
participants. |
Petrobras principal executive office is located at Avenida República do Chile, 65
20031-912Rio de JaneiroRJ, Brazil, and its telephone number is (55-21) 3224-4477.
PIFCO
PifCo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Petrobras, incorporated under the laws of the Cayman
Islands. PifCo is an exempted company incorporated with limited
liability. PifCo purchases crude oil and oil products from third parties and sells them at a premium to
Petrobras on a deferred payment basis. PifCo also purchases crude oil and oil products from
Petrobras and sells them outside Brazil. Accordingly, intercompany activities and transactions,
and therefore PifCos financial position and results of operations, are affected by decisions made
by Petrobras. Additionally, PifCo sells and purchases crude oil and oil products to and from third
parties and related parties mainly outside Brazil.
PifCo engages in borrowings in international capital markets supported by Petrobras,
primarily through guaranties.
PifCos
registered office is located at Harbour Place, 103 South Church
Street, 4th Floor, PO Box 1034GT, George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, and its telephone number is (55-21) 3487-2375.
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THE SECURITIES
Petrobras may from time to time offer under this prospectus, separately or together:
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senior or subordinated debt securities that may be convertible into our common shares
or preferred shares, which may be in the form of ADSs and evidenced by ADRs; |
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securities that are mandatorily convertible into preferred or common shares (or ADSs
representing our preferred or common shares); |
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common shares, which may be represented by ADSs; |
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preferred shares, which may be represented by ADSs; |
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warrants to purchase common shares, which may be represented by ADSs; |
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warrants to purchase preferred shares, which may be represented by ADSs; |
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warrants to purchase debt securities; and |
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guaranties accompanying debt securities, including debt warrants, of PifCo. |
PifCo may from time to time offer under this prospectus:
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senior or subordinated debt securities, accompanied by guaranties of Petrobras or
other credit enhancements, including letters of credit, political risk insurance or
other similar instruments; and |
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warrants to purchase debt securities, accompanied by guaranties of Petrobras,
including letters of credit, political risk insurance or other similar instruments. |
LEGAL OWNERSHIP
In this prospectus and in any attached prospectus supplement, when we refer to the holders
of securities as being entitled to specified rights or payments, we mean only the actual legal
holders of the securities. While you will be the holder if you hold a security registered in your
name, more often than not the registered holder will actually be either a broker, bank, other
financial institution or, in the case of a global security, a depositary. Our obligations, as well
as the obligations of the trustee, any warrant agent, any transfer agent, any registrar, any
depositary and any third parties employed by us or the other entities listed above, run only to
persons who are registered as holders of our securities, except as may be specifically provided for
in a warrant agreement, warrant certificate, deposit agreement or other contract governing the
securities. For example, once we make payment to the registered holder, we have no further
responsibility for the payment even if that registered holder is legally required to pass the
payment along to you as a street name customer but does not do so.
If we choose to issue preferred shares or common shares, they may be evidenced by ADRs and you
will hold them indirectly through ADSs. The underlying preferred shares or common shares will be
directly held by a depositary. Your rights and obligations will be determined by reference to the
terms of the relevant deposit agreement. A copy of the deposit agreements, as amended from time to
time, with respect to our preferred shares and common shares is on file with the SEC and
incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You may obtain copies of the deposit agreements from
the SECs Public Reference Room. See Where You Can Find More Information.
Street Name and Other Indirect Holders
Holding securities in accounts at banks or brokers is called holding in street name. If you
hold our securities in street name, we will recognize only the bank or broker, or the financial
institution that the bank or broker uses to hold the securities, as a holder. These intermediary
banks, brokers, other financial institutions and
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depositaries pass along principal, interest, dividends and other payments, if any, on the
securities, either because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are
legally required to do so. This means that if you are an indirect holder, you will need to
coordinate with the institution through which you hold your interest in a security in order to
determine how the provisions involving holders described in this prospectus and any prospectus
supplement will actually apply to you. For example, if the debt security in which you hold a
beneficial interest in street name can be repaid at the option of the holder, you cannot redeem it
yourself by following the procedures described in the prospectus supplement relating to that
security. Instead, you would need to cause the institution through which you hold your interest to
take those actions on your behalf. Your institution may have procedures and deadlines different
from or additional to those described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
If you hold our securities in street name or through other indirect means, you should check
with the institution through which you hold your interest in a security to find out:
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how it handles payments and notices with respect to the securities; |
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whether it imposes fees or charges; |
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how it handles voting, if applicable; |
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how and when you should notify it to exercise on your behalf any rights or options
that may exist under the securities; |
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whether and how you can instruct it to send you securities registered in your own
name so you can be a direct holder as described below; and |
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how it would pursue rights under the securities if there were a default or other
event triggering the need for holders to act to protect their interests. |
Global Securities
A global security is a special type of indirectly held security. If we choose to issue our
securities, in whole or in part, in the form of global securities, the ultimate beneficial owners
can only be indirect holders. We do this by requiring that the global security be registered in the
name of a financial institution we select and by requiring that the securities included in the
global security not be transferred to the name of any other direct holder unless the special
circumstances described below occur. The financial institution that acts as the sole direct holder
of the global security is called the depositary. Any person wishing to own a security issued in
global form must do so indirectly through an account with a broker, bank or other financial
institution that in turn has an account with the depositary. The prospectus supplement indicates
whether the securities will be issued only as global securities.
As an indirect holder, your rights relating to a global security will be governed by the
account rules of your financial institution and of the depositary, as well as general laws relating
to securities transfers. We will not recognize you as a holder of the securities and instead deal
only with the depositary that holds the global security.
You should be aware that if our securities are issued only in the form of global securities:
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you cannot have the securities registered in your own name; |
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you cannot receive physical certificates for your interest in the securities; |
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you will be a street name holder and must look to your own bank or broker for
payments on the securities and protection of your legal rights relating to the
securities; |
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you may not be able to sell interests in the securities to some insurance companies
and other institutions that are required by law to own their securities in the form of
physical certificates; |
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the depositarys policies will govern payments, dividends, transfers, exchange and
other matters relating to your interest in the global security. We, the trustee, any
warrant agent, any transfer agent and any registrar have no responsibility for any
aspect of the depositarys actions or for its records of ownership interests in the
global security. We, the trustee, any warrant agent, any transfer agent and any
registrar also do not supervise the depositary in any way; and |
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the depositary will require that interests in a global security be purchased or sold
within its system using same-day funds for settlement. |
In a few special situations described below, a global security representing our securities
will terminate and interests in it will be exchanged for physical certificates representing the
securities. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold securities directly or in street
name will be up to you. You must consult your bank or broker to find out how to have your interests
in the securities transferred to your name, so that you will be a direct holder.
Unless we specify otherwise in the prospectus supplement, the special situations for
termination of a global security representing our securities are:
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when the depositary notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as
depositary and we do not or cannot appoint a successor depositary within 90 days; |
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when we notify the trustee that we wish to terminate the global security; or |
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when an event of default on debt securities has occurred and has not been cured.
(Defaults are discussed later under Description of Debt SecuritiesEvents of Default.) |
The prospectus supplement may also list additional situations for terminating a global
security that would apply to the particular series of securities covered by the prospectus
supplement. When a global security terminates, the depositary (and not us, the trustee, any warrant
agent, any transfer agent or any registrar) is responsible for deciding the names of the
institutions that will be the initial direct holders.
In the remainder of this document, you means direct holders and not street name or other indirect
holders of securities. Indirect holders should read the previous subsection starting on page 5
entitled Street Name and Other Indirect Holders.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following briefly summarizes the material provisions of the debt securities and the
Petrobras or PifCo indenture that will govern the debt securities, other than pricing and related
terms disclosed in the accompanying prospectus supplement. You should read the more detailed
provisions of the applicable indenture, including the defined terms, for provisions that may be
important to you. You should also read the particular terms of a series of debt securities, which
will be described in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. This summary is subject
to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the provisions of such indenture, the debt
securities and the prospectus supplement relating to each series of debt securities.
Indenture
Any debt securities that we issue will be governed by a document called an indenture. The
indenture is a contract entered into between any one of us and a trustee, currently The Bank of New
York Mellon (formerly the Bank of New York). The trustee has two main roles:
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first, the trustee can enforce your rights against us if we default, although there
are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on your behalf that are
described under Default and Related MattersEvents of DefaultRemedies if an Event of
Default Occurs; and |
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second, the trustee performs administrative duties for us, such as sending interest
payments to you, transferring your debt securities to a new buyer if you sell and
sending notices to you. |
Each of the Petrobras and PifCo indentures and their associated documents contain the full
legal text of the matters described in this section. We have agreed that New York law governs the
indenture and the debt securities. We have filed a copy of the Petrobras indenture and PifCo
indenture with the SEC as exhibits to our registration statement. We have consented to the
non-exclusive jurisdiction of any U.S. federal court sitting in the borough of Manhattan in the
City of New York, New York, United States and any appellate court from any thereof.
Types of Debt Securities
Together or separately, we may issue as many distinct series of debt securities under our
indentures as are authorized by the corporate bodies that are required under applicable law and our
corporate organizational documents to authorize the issuance of debt securities. Specific issuances
of debt securities will also be governed by a supplemental indenture, an officers certificate or a
document evidencing the authorization of any such corporate body. This section summarizes material
terms of the debt securities that are common to all series and to each of the Petrobras and PifCo
indentures, unless otherwise indicated in this section and in the prospectus supplement relating to
a particular series.
Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities.
This summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of the
indenture, including the definition of various terms used in the indenture. For example, we
describe the meanings for only the more important terms that have been given special meanings in
the indenture. We also include references in parentheses to some sections of the indenture.
Whenever we refer to particular sections or defined terms of our indentures in this prospectus or
in any prospectus supplement, those sections or defined terms are incorporated by reference herein
or in such prospectus supplement.
We may issue the debt securities at par, at a premium or as original issue discount
securities, which are debt securities that are offered and sold at a substantial discount to their
stated principal amount. We may also issue the debt securities as indexed securities or securities
denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, currency units or composite currencies, as
described in more detail in the prospectus supplement relating to any such debt securities. We will
describe the U.S. federal income tax consequences and any other special considerations applicable
to original issue discount, indexed or foreign currency debt securities in the applicable
prospectus supplement(s).
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In addition, the material financial, legal and other terms particular to a series of debt
securities will be described in the prospectus supplement(s) relating to that series. Those terms
may vary from the terms described here. Accordingly, this summary also is subject to and qualified
by reference to the description of the terms of the series described in the applicable
prospectus supplement(s).
The prospectus supplement relating to a series of debt securities will describe the following
terms of the series:
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the title of the debt securities of the series; |
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any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of the series
(including any provision for the future offering of additional debt securities of the
series beyond any such limit); |
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whether the debt securities will be issued in registered or bearer form; |
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whether the debt securities will be accompanied by a guaranty or other credit
enhancements, including letters of credit, political risk insurance or other similar
instruments; |
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the date or dates on which the debt securities of the series will mature and any
other date or dates on which we will pay the principal of the debt securities of the
series; |
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the annual rate or rates, which may be fixed or variable, at which the debt
securities will bear interest, if any, and the date or dates from which that interest
will accrue; |
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the date or dates on which any interest on the debt securities of the series will be
payable and the regular record date or dates we will use to determine who is entitled to
receive interest payments; |
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the place or places where the principal and any premium and interest in respect of
the debt securities of the series will be payable; |
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any period or periods during which, and the price or prices at which, we will have
the option to redeem or repurchase the debt securities of the series and the other
material terms and provisions applicable to our redemption or repurchase rights; |
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whether the debt securities will be senior or subordinated securities; |
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whether the debt securities will be our secured or unsecured obligations; |
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any obligation we will have to redeem or repurchase the debt securities of the
series, including any sinking fund or analogous provision, the period or periods during
which, and the price or prices at which, we would be required to redeem or repurchase
the debt securities of the series and the other material terms and provisions applicable
to our redemption or repurchase obligations; |
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if other than $1,000 or an even multiple of $1,000, the denominations in which the
series of debt securities will be issuable; |
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if other than U.S. dollars, the currency in which the debt securities of the series
will be denominated or in which the principal of or any premium or interest on the debt
securities of the series will be payable; |
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if we or you have a right to choose the currency, currency unit or composite currency
in which payments on any of the debt securities of the series will be made, the
currency, currency unit or composite currency that we or you may elect, the period
during which we or you must make the election and the other material terms applicable to
the right to make such elections; |
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if other than the full principal amount, the portion of the principal amount of the
debt securities of the series that will be payable upon a declaration of acceleration of
the maturity of the debt securities of the series; |
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any index or other special method we will use to determine the amount of principal or
any premium or interest on the debt securities of the series; |
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the applicability of the provisions described under Defeasance and Discharge; |
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if we issue the debt securities of the series in whole or part in the form of global
securities as described under Legal OwnershipGlobal Securities, the name of the
depositary with respect to the debt securities of the series, and the circumstances
under which the global securities may be registered in the name of a person other than
the depositary or its nominee if other than those described under Legal
OwnershipGlobal Securities; |
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whether the debt securities will be convertible or exchangeable at your option or at
our option into equity securities, and, if so, the terms and conditions of conversion or
exchange; |
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any covenants to which we will be subject with respect to the debt securities of the
series; and |
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any other special features of the debt securities of the series that are not
inconsistent with the provisions of the indenture. |
In addition, the prospectus supplement will state whether we will list the debt securities of the
series on any stock exchange(s) and, if so, which one(s).
Additional Mechanics
Form, Exchange and Transfer
The debt securities will be issued, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus
supplement, in denominations that are even multiples of $1,000 and in global registered form.
(Petrobras Section 3.02; PifCo Section 3.02)
You may have your debt securities broken into more debt securities of smaller denominations or
combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount
is not changed. This is called an exchange. (Petrobras Section 3.05; PifCo Section 3.05)
You may exchange or transfer your registered debt securities at the office of the trustee. The
trustee will maintain an office in New York, New York. The trustee acts as our agent for
registering debt securities in the names of holders and transferring registered debt securities. We
may change this appointment to another entity or perform the service ourselves. The entity
performing the role of maintaining the list of registered holders is called the security
registrar. It will also register transfers of the registered debt securities. (Petrobras Section
3.05; PifCo Section 3.05)
You will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange debt securities, but
you may be required to pay any tax or other governmental charge associated with the exchange or
transfer. The transfer or exchange of a registered debt security will only be made if the security
registrar is satisfied with your proof of ownership.
If we designate additional transfer agents, they will be named in the prospectus supplement.
We may cancel the designation of any particular transfer agent. Petrobras may also approve a change
in the office through which any transfer agent acts. (Petrobras Section 10.02; PifCo Section 10.03)
10
If the debt securities are redeemable and we redeem less than all of the debt securities of a
particular series, we may block the transfer or exchange of debt securities in order to freeze the
list of holders to prepare the mailing during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail
the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing. We may also refuse to register
transfers or exchanges of debt securities selected for redemption. However, we will continue to
permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security being partially
redeemed. (Petrobras Section 3.05; PifCo Section 3.05)
Payment and Paying Agents
If your debt securities are in registered form, we will pay interest to you if you are a
direct holder listed in the trustees records at the close of business on a particular day in
advance of each due date for interest, even if you no longer own the security on the interest due
date. That particular day, usually about a day in advance of the interest due date, is called the
regular record date and will be stated in the prospectus supplement. (Petrobras Section 3.07;
PifCo Section 3.07)
We will pay interest, principal, additional amounts and any other money due on the registered
debt securities at the corporate trust office of the trustee in New York City (which is currently
located at 101 Barclay Street, 4E, New York, New York 10286, Attention: Global Trust Services -
Americas) or at the office of The Bank of New York Mellon Trust (Japan) Ltd., a bank established
under the laws of Japan (which is currently located at Fokoku Seimei Building, 2-2-2
Uchisaiwai-cho, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 100-8580, Japan). You must make arrangements to have your
payments picked up at or wired from that office. We may also choose to pay interest by mailing
checks. Interest on global securities will be paid to the holder thereof by wire transfer of
same-day funds.
Holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between themselves how to compensate
for the fact that we will pay all the interest for an interest period to, in the case of registered
debt securities, the one who is the registered holder on the regular record date. The most common
manner is to adjust the sales price of the debt securities to pro-rate interest fairly between the
buyer and seller. This pro-rated interest amount is called accrued interest.
Street name and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how
they will receive payments.
We may also arrange for additional payment offices, and may cancel or change these offices,
including our use of the trustees corporate trust office. These offices are called paying
agents. We may also choose to act as our own paying agent. We must notify you of changes in the
paying agents for the debt securities of any series that you hold. (Petrobras Section 10.02; PifCo
Section 10.03)
Notices
We and the trustee will send notices only to direct holders, using their addresses as listed
in the trustees records. (Petrobras Section 1.06; PifCo Section 1.06)
Regardless of who acts as paying agent, all money that Petrobras pays to a paying agent that
remains unclaimed at the end of two years after the amount is due to direct holders will be repaid
to Petrobras. After that two-year period, direct holders may look only to Petrobras for payment and
not to the trustee, any other paying agent or anyone else. (Petrobras Section 10.03)
Special Situations
Mergers and Similar Events
Under the indenture, except as described below, we are generally permitted to consolidate or
merge with another entity. We are also permitted to sell or lease substantially all of our assets
to another entity or to buy or lease substantially all of the assets of another entity. No vote by
holders of debt securities approving any of these actions is required, unless as part of the
transaction we make changes to the indenture requiring your approval, as described
11
later under Modification and Waiver. We may take these actions as part of a transaction
involving outside third parties or as part of an internal corporate reorganization. We may take
these actions even if they result in:
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a lower credit rating being assigned to the debt securities; or |
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additional amounts becoming payable in respect of withholding tax, and the debt
securities thus being subject to redemption at our option, as described later under
Optional Tax Redemption. |
We have no obligation under the indenture to seek to avoid these results, or any other legal
or financial effects that are disadvantageous to you, in connection with a merger, consolidation or
sale or lease of assets that is permitted under the indenture.
Petrobras
Petrobras may merge into or consolidate with or convey, transfer or lease its property to
another entity, provided that it may not take any of these actions unless all the following
conditions are met:
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If Petrobras merges out of existence or sell or lease its assets, the other entity
must unconditionally assume its obligations on the debt securities, including the
obligation to pay the additional amounts described under Payment of Additional
Amounts. This assumption may be by way of a full and unconditional guaranty in the case
of a sale or lease of substantially all of its assets. |
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Petrobras must indemnify you against any tax, assessment or governmental charge or
other cost resulting from the transaction. This indemnification obligation only arises
if the other entity is organized under the laws of a country other than the United
States, a state thereof or Brazil. |
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Petrobras must not be in default on the debt securities immediately prior to such
action and such action must not cause a default. For purposes of this no-default test, a
default would include an event of default that has occurred and not been cured, as
described later under Default and Related MattersEvents of DefaultWhat is An Event of
Default? A default for this purpose would also include any event that would be an event
of default if the requirements for notice of default or existence of defaults for a
specified period of time were disregarded. |
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The entity to which Petrobras sells or leases such assets guaranties our obligations
or the entity into which it merges or consolidates with must execute a supplement to the
indenture, known as a supplemental indenture. In the supplemental indenture, the entity
must promise to be bound by every obligation in the indenture. Furthermore, in this
case, the trustee must receive an opinion of counsel stating that the entitys
guaranties are valid, that certain registration requirements applicable to the
guaranties have been fulfilled and that the supplemental indenture complies with the
Trust Indenture Act of 1939. The entity that guarantees our obligations must also
deliver certain certificates and other documents to the trustee. |
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Petrobras must deliver certain certificates, opinions of its counsel and other
documents to the trustee. |
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Petrobras must satisfy any other requirements specified in the prospectus supplement.
(Petrobras Section 8.01) |
PifCo
PifCo will not, in one or a series of transactions, consolidate or amalgamate with or merge
into any corporation or convey, lease or transfer substantially all of its properties, assets or
revenues to any person or entity (other than a direct or indirect subsidiary of Petrobras) or
permit any person (other than a direct or indirect subsidiary of PifCo) to merge with or into it
unless:
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either PifCo is the continuing entity or the person (the successor company) formed
by the consolidation or into which PifCo is merged or that acquired or leased the
property or assets of PifCo will assume (jointly and severally with PifCo unless PifCo
will have ceased to exist as a result of that merger, consolidation or amalgamation), by
a supplemental indenture (the form and substance of which will be previously approved by
the trustee), all of PifCos obligations under the indenture and the notes; |
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the successor company (jointly and severally with PifCo unless PifCo will have ceased
to exist as part of the merger, consolidation or amalgamation) agrees to indemnify each
noteholder against any tax, assessment or governmental charge thereafter imposed on the
noteholder solely as a consequence of the consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer or
lease with respect to the payment of principal of, or interest, the notes; |
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immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no event of default, and no
default has occurred and is continuing; |
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PifCo has delivered to the trustee an officers certificate and an opinion of
counsel, each stating that the transaction complies with the terms of the indenture and
that all conditions precedent provided for in the indenture and relating to the
transaction have been complied with; and |
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PifCo must deliver a notice describing that transaction to Moodys to the extent that
Moodys is at that time rating the notes. |
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, so long as no default or event of
default under the indenture or the notes will have occurred and be continuing at the time of the
proposed transaction or would result from the transaction:
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PifCo may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with or into, or convey, transfer, lease
or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties, assets or revenues
to a direct or indirect subsidiary of PifCo or Petrobras in cases when PifCo is the
surviving entity in the transaction and the transaction would not have a material
adverse effect on PifCo and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, it being understood that
if PifCo is not the surviving entity, PifCo will be required to comply with the
requirements set forth in the previous paragraph; or |
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any direct or indirect subsidiary of PifCo may merge or consolidate with or into, or
convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of assets to, any person (other than PifCo
or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates) in cases when the transaction would not have a
material adverse effect on PifCo and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; or |
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any direct or indirect subsidiary of PifCo may merge or consolidate with or into, or
convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of assets to, any other direct or indirect
subsidiary of PifCo or Petrobras; or |
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any direct or indirect subsidiary of PifCo may liquidate or dissolve if PifCo
determines in good faith that the liquidation or dissolution is in the best interests of
Petrobras, and would not result in a material adverse effect on PifCo and its
subsidiaries taken as a whole and if the liquidation or dissolution is part of a
corporate reorganization of PifCo or Petrobras. |
It is possible that the U.S. Internal Revenue Service may deem a merger or other similar
transaction to cause for U.S. federal income tax purposes an exchange of debt securities for new
securities by the holders of the debt securities. This could result in the recognition of taxable
gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes and possible other adverse tax consequences.
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Modification and Waiver
There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities.
Changes Requiring Your Approval. First, there are changes that cannot be made to your debt
securities without your specific approval. These are the following types of changes:
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change the stated maturity of the principal, interest or premium on a debt security; |
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reduce any amounts due on a debt security; |
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change any obligation to pay the additional amounts described under Payment of
Additional Amounts; |
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reduce the amount of principal payable upon acceleration of the maturity of a debt
security following a default; |
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change the place or currency of payment on a debt security; |
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impair any of the conversion or exchange rights of your debt security; |
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impair your right to sue for payment, conversion or exchange; |
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reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to modify
or amend the indenture; |
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reduce the percentage of holders of debt securities whose consent is needed to waive
compliance with various provisions of the indenture or to waive specified defaults; and |
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modify any other aspect of the provisions dealing with modification and waiver of the
indenture. (Petrobras Section 9.02; PifCo Section 9.02) |
Changes Requiring a Majority Vote. The second type of change to the indenture and the debt
securities is the kind that requires a vote of approval by the holders of debt securities that
together represent a majority of the outstanding principal amount of the particular series
affected. Most changes fall into this category, except for clarifying changes, amendments,
supplements and other changes that would not adversely affect holders of the debt securities in any
material respect. For example, this vote would be required for us to obtain a waiver of all or part
of any covenants described in an applicable prospectus supplement or a waiver of a past default.
However, we cannot obtain a waiver of a payment default or any other aspect of the indenture or the
debt securities listed in the first category described previously beginning above under Changes
Requiring Your Approval unless we obtain your individual consent to the waiver. (Petrobras
Sections 5.13 and 9.02; PifCo Sections 5.13 and 9.02)
Changes Not Requiring Approval. The third type of change does not require any vote by holders
of debt securities. This type is limited to clarifications of ambiguities, omissions, defects and
inconsistencies, amendments, supplements and other changes that would not adversely affect holders
of the debt securities in any material respect, such as adding covenants, additional events of
default or successor trustees. (Petrobras Section 9.01; PifCo Section 9.01)
Further Details Concerning Voting. When taking a vote, we will use the following rules to
decide how much principal amount to attribute to a security:
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For original issue discount securities, we will use the principal amount that would
be due and payable on the voting date if the maturity of the debt securities were
accelerated to that date because of a default. |
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Debt securities that we, any of our affiliates and any other obligor under the debt
securities acquire or hold will not be counted as outstanding when determining voting
rights. |
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For debt securities whose principal amount is not known (for example, because it is
based on an index), we will use a special rule for that security described in the
prospectus supplement for that security. |
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For debt securities denominated in one or more foreign currencies, currency units or
composite currencies, we will use the U.S. dollar equivalent as of the date on which
such debt securities were originally issued. |
Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore will not be eligible to
vote, if we have deposited or set aside in trust for you money for their payment or redemption.
Debt securities will also not be eligible to vote if they have been fully defeased as described
under Defeasance and Discharge. (Petrobras Section 14.02; PifCo Section 14.02)
We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining
the holders of outstanding debt securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the
indenture. In limited circumstances, the trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action
by holders. If we or the trustee set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by
holders of a particular series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of
outstanding debt securities of that series on the record date and must be taken within 180 days
following the record date or another period that we or, if it sets the record date, the trustee may
specify. We may shorten or lengthen (but not beyond 180 days) this period from time to time.
(Petrobras Section 1.04; PifCo Section 1.04)
Street name and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how
approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change the indenture or the debt securities or
request a waiver.
Redemption and Repayment
Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, your debt security will
not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund; that is, we will not deposit money on a regular
basis into any separate custodial account to repay your debt securities. In addition, other than as
set forth in Optional Tax Redemption below, we will not be entitled to redeem your debt security
before its stated maturity unless the applicable prospectus supplement specifies a redemption
commencement date. You will not be entitled to require us to buy your debt security from you,
before its stated maturity, unless the applicable prospectus supplement specifies one or more
repayment dates.
If the applicable prospectus supplement specifies a redemption commencement date or a
repayment date, it will also specify one or more redemption prices or repayment prices, which may
be expressed as a percentage of the principal amount of your debt security or by reference to one
or more formulae used to determine the redemption price(s). It may also specify one or more
redemption periods during which the redemption prices relating to a redemption of debt securities
during those periods will apply.
If the applicable prospectus supplement specifies a redemption commencement date, we may
redeem your debt security at our option at any time on or after that date. If we redeem your debt
security, we will do so at the specified redemption price, together with interest accrued to the
redemption date. If different prices are specified for different redemption periods, the price we
pay will be the price that applies to the redemption period during which your debt security is
redeemed. If less than all of the debt securities are redeemed, the trustee will choose the debt
securities to be redeemed by lot, or in the trustees discretion, pro rata. (Petrobras Section
11.03; PifCo Section 11.03)
If the applicable prospectus supplement specifies a repayment date, your debt security will be
repayable by us at your option on the specified repayment date(s) at the specified repayment
price(s), together with interest accrued and any additional amounts to the repayment date.
(Petrobras Section 11.04; PifCo Section 11.04)
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In the event that we exercise an option to redeem any debt security, we will give to the
trustee and the holder written notice of the principal amount of the debt security to be redeemed,
not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the applicable redemption date. We will give the
notice in the manner described above under Additional MechanicsNotices.
If a debt security represented by a global security is subject to repayment at the holders
option, the depositary or its nominee, as the holder, will be the only person that can exercise the
right to repayment. Any indirect holders who own beneficial interests in the global security and
wish to exercise a repayment right must give proper and timely instructions to their banks or
brokers through which they hold their interests, requesting that they notify the depositary to
exercise the repayment right on their behalf. Different firms have different deadlines for
accepting instructions from their customers, and you should take care to act promptly enough to
ensure that your request is given effect by the depositary before the applicable deadline for
exercise.
Street name and other indirect holders should contact their banks or brokers for information about
how to exercise a repayment right in a timely manner.
In the event that the option of the holder to elect repayment as described above is deemed to
be a tender offer within the meaning of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, we
will comply with Rule 14e-1 as then in effect to the extent it is applicable to us and the
transaction.
Subject to any restrictions that will be described in the prospectus supplement, we or our
affiliates may purchase debt securities from investors who are willing to sell from time to time,
either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices.
Debt securities that we or they purchase may, in our discretion, be held, resold or canceled.
Optional Tax Redemption
Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, we may have the option to redeem, in
whole but not in part, the debt securities where, as a result of a change in, execution of or
amendment to any laws or treaties or the official application or interpretation of any laws or
treaties, we would be required to pay additional amounts as described later under Payment of
Additional Amounts. This applies only in the case of changes, executions or amendments that occur
on or after the date specified in the prospectus supplement for the applicable series of debt
securities and in the jurisdiction where we are incorporated. If succeeded by another entity, the
applicable jurisdiction will be the jurisdiction in which such successor entity is organized, and
the applicable date will be the date the entity became a successor. (Petrobras Section 11.08; PifCo
Section 11.08)
If the debt securities are redeemed, the redemption price for debt securities (other than
original issue discount debt securities) will be equal to the principal amount of the debt
securities being redeemed plus accrued interest and any additional amounts due on the date fixed
for redemption. The redemption price for original issue discount debt securities will be specified
in the prospectus supplement for such securities. Furthermore, we must give you between 30 and 60
days notice before redeeming the debt securities.
Conversion
Your debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our capital stock
at your option or at our option, which may be represented by ADSs, or other securities if your
prospectus supplement so provides. If your debt securities are convertible or exchangeable, your
prospectus supplement will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is at your
option or at our option. Your prospectus supplement would also include provisions regarding the
adjustment of the number of securities to be received by you upon conversion or exchange.
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Payment of Additional Amounts
Petrobras
Brazil (including any authority therein or thereof having the power to tax) may require
Petrobras to withhold amounts from payments on the principal or any premium or interest on a debt
security for taxes or any other governmental charges. If Brazil requires a withholding of this
type, Petrobras is required, subject to the exceptions listed below, to pay you an additional
amount so that the net amount you receive will be the amount specified in the debt security to
which you are entitled. However, in order for you to be entitled to receive the additional amount,
you must not be a resident of Brazil.
Petrobras will not have to pay additional amounts under any of the following circumstances:
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The withholding is imposed only because the holder has some connection with Brazil
other than the mere holding of the debt security or the receipt of the relevant payment
in respect of the debt security. |
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In the case of Petrobras, the withholding is imposed due to the presentation of a
debt security, if presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days
after the security became due or after the payment was provided for. |
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The amount is required to be deducted or withheld by any paying agent from a payment
on or in respect of the debt security, if such payment can be made without such
deduction or withholding by any other payment agent and Petrobras duly provides for such
other paying agent. |
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The withholding is on account of an estate, inheritance, gift, sale, transfer,
personal property or similar tax or other governmental charge. |
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The withholding is for any taxes, duties, assessments or other governmental charges
that are payable otherwise than by deduction or withholding from payments on the debt
security. |
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The withholding is imposed or withheld because the holder or beneficial owner failed
to comply with any of Petrobras requests for the following that the statutes, treaties,
regulations or administrative practices of Brazil required as a precondition to
exemption from all or part of such withholding: |
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- to provide information about the nationality, residence or identity of the holder
or beneficial owner; or |
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- to make a declaration or satisfy any information requirements. |
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The holder is a fiduciary or partnership or other entity that is not the sole
beneficial owner of the payment in respect of which the withholding is imposed, and the
laws of Brazil require the payment to be included in the income of a beneficiary or
settlor of such fiduciary or a member of such partnership or another beneficial owner
who would not have been entitled to such additional amounts had it been the holder of
such debt security. |
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Where any additional amounts are imposed on a payment on the debt securities to an
individual and is required to be made pursuant to any European Union directive on the
taxation of savings income relating to the directive approved by the European Parliament
on March 14, 2002, or otherwise implementing the conclusions of the Economic and
Financial Council of Ministers of the member states of the European Union (ECOFIN)
Council meeting of November 26 and 27, 2000 or any law implementing or complying with,
or introduced in order to conform to, any such directive. |
The prospectus supplement relating to the debt securities may describe additional
circumstances in which Petrobras would not be required to pay additional amounts. (Petrobras
Section 10.04)
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PifCo
Except as provided below, PifCo will make all payments of amounts due under the notes and the
indenture and each other document entered into in connection with the notes and the indenture
without withholding or
deducting any present or future taxes, levies, deductions or other governmental charges of any
nature imposed by Brazil, the jurisdiction of PifCos incorporation or any jurisdiction in which
PifCo appoints a paying agent under the indenture, or any political subdivision of such
jurisdictions (the taxing jurisdictions). If PifCo is required by law to withhold or deduct any
taxes, levies, deductions or other governmental charges, PifCo will make such deduction or
withholding, make payment of the amount so withheld to the appropriate governmental authority and
pay the noteholders any additional amounts necessary to ensure that they receive the same amount as
they would have received without such withholding or deduction.
PifCo will not, however, pay any additional amounts in connection with any tax, levy,
deduction or other governmental charge that is imposed due to any of the following (excluded
additional amounts):
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the noteholder has a connection with the taxing jurisdiction other than merely
holding the notes or receiving principal or interest payments on the notes (such as
citizenship, nationality, residence, domicile, or existence of a business, a permanent
establishment, a dependent agent, a place of business or a place of management present
or deemed present within the taxing jurisdiction); |
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any tax imposed on, or measured by, net income; |
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the noteholder fails to comply with any certification, identification or other
reporting requirements concerning its nationality, residence, identity or connection
with the taxing jurisdiction, if (x) such compliance is required by applicable law,
regulation, administrative practice or treaty as a precondition to exemption from all or
a part of the tax, levy, deduction or other governmental charge, (y) the noteholder is
able to comply with such requirements without undue hardship and (z) at least 30
calendar days prior to the first payment date with respect to which such requirements
under the applicable law, regulation, administrative practice or treaty will apply,
PifCo has notified all noteholders that they will be required to comply with such
requirements; |
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the noteholder fails to present (where presentation is required) its note within 30
calendar days after PifCo has made available to the noteholder a payment under the notes
and the indenture, provided that PifCo will pay additional amounts which a noteholder
would have been entitled to had the note owned by such noteholder been presented on any
day (including the last day) within such 30 calendar day period; |
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any estate, inheritance, gift, value added, use or sales taxes or any similar taxes,
assessments or other governmental charges; |
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where such taxes, levies, deductions or other governmental charges are imposed on a
payment on the notes to an individual and are required to be made pursuant to any
European Union Council Directive implementing the conclusions of the ECOFIN Council
meeting of November 26-27, 2000 on the taxation of savings income, or any law
implementing or complying with, or introduced in order to conform to, such directive; |
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where the noteholder could have avoided such taxes, levies, deductions or other
governmental charges by requesting that a payment on the notes be made by, or presenting
the relevant notes for payment to, another paying agent of PifCo located in a member
state of the European Union; or |
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where the noteholder would have been able to avoid the tax, levy, deduction or other
governmental charge by taking reasonable measures available to such noteholder. |
PifCo undertakes that, if European Council Directive 2003/48/EC or any other Directive
implementing the conclusions of ECOFIN council meeting of November 26-27, 2000 is brought into
effect, PifCo will ensure that it maintains a paying agent in a member state of the European Union
that will not be obliged to withhold or deduct tax pursuant to the Directive.
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PifCo will pay any stamp, administrative, excise or property taxes arising in a taxing
jurisdiction in connection with the execution, delivery, enforcement or registration of the notes
and will indemnify the noteholders for any such stamp, administrative, excise or property taxes
paid by noteholders. (PifCo Section 10.10)
Restrictive Covenants
Petrobras
The Petrobras indenture does not contain any covenants restricting the ability of Petrobras to
make payments, incur indebtedness, dispose of assets, enter into sale and leaseback transactions,
issue and sell capital stock, enter into transactions with affiliates, create or incur liens on
Petrobras property or engage in business other than its present business. Restrictive covenants,
if any, with respect to any securities of Petrobras will be contained in the applicable
supplemental indenture and described in the applicable prospectus supplement with respect to those
securities. (Petrobras Section 10)
PifCo
PifCo will be subject to the following covenants with respect to the notes:
Ranking
PifCo will ensure that the notes will at all times constitute its general senior, unsecured
and unsubordinated obligations and will rank pari passu, without any preferences among themselves,
with all of its other present and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations (other than
obligations preferred by statute or by operation of law). (PifCo Section 10.04)
Statement by Officers as to Default and Notices of Events of Default
PifCo (and each other obligor on the notes) will deliver to the trustee, within 90 calendar
days after the end of its fiscal year, an officers certificate, stating whether or not to the best
knowledge of its signers PifCo is in default on any of the terms, provisions and conditions of the
indenture or the notes (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided
under the indenture) and, if PifCo (or any obligor) are in default, specifying all the defaults and
their nature and status of which the signers may have knowledge. Within 10 calendar days (or
promptly with respect to certain events of default relating to PifCos insolvency and in any event
no later than 10 calendar days) after PifCo becomes aware or should reasonably become aware of the
occurrence of any default or event of default under the indenture or the notes, it will notify the
trustee of the occurrence of such default or event of default. (PifCo Section 10.05)
Provision of Financial Statements and Reports
In the event that PifCo files any financial statements or reports with the SEC or publishes or
otherwise makes such statements or reports publicly available in Brazil, the United States or
elsewhere, PifCo will furnish a copy of the statements or reports to the trustee within 15 calendar
days of the date of filing or the date the information is published or otherwise made publicly
available.
PifCo will provide, together with each of the financial statements delivered as described in
the preceding paragraph, an officers certificate stating (i) that a review of PifCos activities
has been made during the period covered by such financial statements with a view to determining
whether PifCo has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its covenants and agreements under this
indenture; and (ii) that no event of default, or event which with the giving of notice or passage
of time or both would become an event of default, has occurred during that period or, if one or
more have actually occurred, specifying all those events and what actions have been taken and will
be taken with respect to that event of default or other event.
Delivery of these reports, information and documents to the trustee is for informational
purposes only and the trustees receipt of any of those will not constitute constructive notice of
any information contained in them or determinable from information contained in them, including
PifCos compliance with any of its covenants under the indenture (as to which the trustee is
entitled to rely exclusively on officers certificates). (PifCo Section 10.06)
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Additional restrictive covenants with respect to securities of PifCo may be contained in the
applicable supplemental indenture and described in the applicable prospectus supplement with
respect to those securities.
Defeasance and Discharge
The following discussion of full defeasance and discharge and covenant defeasance and
discharge will only be applicable to your series of debt securities if we choose to apply them to
that series, in which case we will state that in the prospectus supplement. (Petrobras Section
14.01; PifCo Section 14.01)
Full Defeasance
We can legally release ourselves from any payment or other obligations on the debt securities,
except for various obligations described below (called full defeasance), if we, in addition to
other actions, put in place the following arrangements for you to be repaid:
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We must irrevocably deposit in trust for your benefit and the benefit of all other
direct holders of the debt securities a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S.
government agency debt securities or bonds that, in the opinion of a firm of nationally
recognized independent public accounts, will generate enough cash to make interest,
principal and any other payments, including additional amounts, on the debt securities
on their various due dates. |
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We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel, based upon a ruling by
the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or upon a change in applicable U.S. federal income tax
law, confirming that under then current U.S. federal income tax law we may make the
above deposit without causing you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently
than if we did not make the deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves. |
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If the debt securities are listed on any securities exchange, we must deliver to the
trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that the deposit, defeasance and
discharge will not cause the debt securities to be delisted. (Petrobras Section 14.04;
PifCo Section 14.04) |
If we ever did accomplish full defeasance as described above, you would have to rely solely on
the trust deposit for repayment on the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in
the unlikely event of any shortfall. Conversely, the trust deposit would most likely be protected
from claims of our lenders and other creditors if we ever become bankrupt or insolvent. However,
even if we take these actions, a number of our obligations relating to the debt securities will
remain. These include the following obligations:
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to register the transfer and exchange of debt securities; |
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to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities; |
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to maintain paying agencies; and |
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to hold money for payment in trust. |
Covenant Defeasance
We can make the same type of deposit described above and be released from all or some of the
restrictive covenants (if any) that apply to the debt securities of any particular series. This is
called covenant defeasance. In that event, you would lose the protection of those restrictive
covenants but would gain the protection of having money and securities set aside in trust to repay
the debt securities. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following:
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We must irrevocably deposit in trust for your benefit and the benefit of all other
direct holders of the debt securities a combination of money and U.S. government or U.S.
government agency debt securities |
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or bonds that, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants,
will generate enough cash to make interest, principal and any other payments, including
additional amounts, on the debt securities on their various due dates. |
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We must deliver to the trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that under
then current U.S. federal income tax law we may make the above deposit without causing
you to be taxed on the debt securities any differently than if we did not make the
deposit and just repaid the debt securities ourselves. |
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If the debt securities are listed on any securities exchange, we must deliver to the
trustee a legal opinion of our counsel confirming that the deposit, defeasance and
discharge will not cause the debt securities to be delisted. (Petrobras Section 14.04;
PifCo Section 14.04) |
If we accomplish covenant defeasance, the following provisions of the indenture and/or the
debt securities would no longer apply:
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Any covenants applicable to the series of debt securities and described in the
applicable prospectus supplement. |
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The events of default relating to breach of those covenants being defeased and
acceleration of the maturity of other debt, described later under Default and Related
MattersEvents of DefaultWhat is An Event of Default? |
If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt
securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit. In fact, if any event of default
occurred (such as our bankruptcy) and the debt securities become immediately due and payable, there
may be such a shortfall. Depending on the event causing the default, you may not be able to obtain
payment of the shortfall. (Petrobras Sections 14.03 and 14.04; PifCo Sections 14.03 and 14.04)
Default and Related Matters
Ranking
The applicable prospectus supplement will indicate whether the debt securities are
subordinated to any of our other debt obligations and whether they will be secured by any of our
assets. If they are not subordinated, they will rank equally with all our other unsecured and
unsubordinated indebtedness. If they are not secured, the securities will effectively be
subordinate to our secured indebtedness and to the indebtedness of our subsidiaries.
Events of Default
You will have special rights if an event of default occurs and is not cured, as described
later in this subsection.
What Is an Event of Default? The term event of default means any of the following:
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We do not pay the principal or any premium on a debt security within 14 calendar days
of its due date and in the case of PifCo, the trustee has not received such payments
from amounts on deposit, from Petrobras under a guaranty by the end of that fourteen-day
period. |
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We do not pay interest, including any additional amounts, on a debt security within
30 calendar days of its due date and in the case of PifCo, the trustee has not received
such payments from amounts on deposit, from Petrobras under a guaranty by the end of
that thirty-day period. |
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We remain in breach of any covenant or any other term of the indenture for 60
calendar days after we receive a notice of default stating that we are in breach. The
notice must be sent by either the trustee or holders of 25% of the principal amount of
debt securities of the affected series. |
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In the case of any convertible security of Petrobras, it remains in default in the
conversion of any security of such series for 30 days after it receives a notice of
default stating that it is in default. The notice must be sent by either the trustee or
the holders of 25% of the principal amount of debt securities of the affected series. |
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The maturity of any indebtedness of Petrobras or PifCo in a total aggregate principal
amount of U.S.$100,000,000 or more is accelerated in accordance with the terms of that
indebtedness, considering that prepayment or redemption by us of any indebtedness is not
acceleration for this purpose. |
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In the case of PifCo, one or more final and non-appealable judgments or final decrees
is entered against it involving an aggregate liability (not paid or not fully covered by
insurance) valued at the equivalent of U.S.$100,000,000 or more, where such judgments or
final decrees have not been vacated, discharged or stayed within 120 calendar days after
first being rendered. |
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In the case of Petrobras, if it is adjudicated or found bankrupt or insolvent or it
is ordered by a court or pass a resolution to dissolve. |
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We stop paying or we admit that we are generally unable to pay our debts as they
become due, except in the case of a winding-up, dissolution or liquidation for the
purpose of and followed by a consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer duly approved
by the debt security holders. |
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In the case of PifCo, if proceedings are initiated against it under any applicable
liquidation, insolvency, composition, reorganization or any other similar laws, or under
any other law for the relief of, or relating to, debtors, and such proceeding is not
dismissed or stayed within 90 calendar days. |
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An administrative or other receiver, manager or administrator, or any such or other
similar official is appointed in relation to, or a distress, execution, attachment,
sequestration or other process is levied or put in force against, the whole or a
substantial part of our undertakings or assets and is not discharged or removed within
90 calendar days. |
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We voluntarily commence proceedings under any applicable liquidation, insolvency,
composition, reorganization or any other similar laws, or we enter into any composition
or other similar arrangement with our creditors under applicable Brazilian law (such as
a concordata, which is a type of liquidation agreement). |
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We file an application for the appointment of an administrative or other receiver,
manager or administrator, or any such or other similar official, in relation to us, or
we take legal action for a readjustment or deferment of any part of our indebtedness. |
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An effective resolution is passed for, or any authorized action is taken by any court
of competent jurisdiction, directing our winding-up, dissolution or liquidation, except
for the purpose of and followed by a consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer duly
approved by the debt security holders. |
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In the case of PifCo, if any event occurs that under the laws of any relevant
jurisdiction has substantially the same effect as the events referred to in the six
immediately preceding paragraphs. |
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In the case of PifCo, if the relevant indenture for the debt securities, in whole or
in part, ceases to be in full force or enforceable against it, or it becomes unlawful
for PifCo to perform any material obligation under the indenture, or it contests the
enforceability of or deny its liability under the indenture. |
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In the case of PifCo, if Petrobras fails to retain at least 51% direct or indirect
ownership of PifCos outstanding voting and economic interests, equity or otherwise. |
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Any other event of default described in the applicable prospectus supplement occurs.
(Petrobras Section 5.01; PifCo Section 5.01) |
For these purposes, indebtedness means any obligation (whether present or future, actual or
contingent and including any guaranty) for the payment or repayment of money which has been
borrowed or raised (including money raised by acceptances and all leases which, under generally
accepted accounting principles in the United States, would be a capital lease obligation).
An event of default for a particular series of debt securities does not necessarily constitute
an event of default for any other series of debt securities issued under the indenture, although
the default and acceleration of one series of debt securities may trigger a default and
acceleration of another series of debt securities.
Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs. If an event of default has occurred and has not been
cured, the trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected
series may declare the entire principal amount of all the debt securities of that series to be due
and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. If an event of
default occurs because of certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, or an
equivalent proceeding under Brazilian law, the principal amount of all the debt securities of that
series will be automatically accelerated without any action by the trustee, any holder or any other
person. A declaration of acceleration of maturity may be canceled by the holders of at least a
majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series. (Petrobras Section
5.02; PifCo Section 5.02)
Except in cases of default, where the trustee has some special duties, the trustee is not
required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders
offer the trustee reasonably satisfactory protection from expenses and liability. This protection
is called an indemnity. (Petrobras Section 6.03; PifCo Section 6.03) If reasonable indemnity is
provided, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the
relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal
legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. These same holders may also direct the
trustee in performing any other action under the indenture. (Petrobras Section 5.12; PifCo Section
5.12) Before you bypass the trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take
other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities, the
following must occur:
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You must give the trustee written notice that an event of default has occurred and
remains uncured. |
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The holders of 25% in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of the
relevant series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the
default, and must offer satisfactory indemnity to the trustee against the cost and other
liabilities of taking that action. |
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The trustee must have not taken action for 60 days after receipt of the above notice
and offer of indemnity. |
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The holders of a majority in principal amount of all outstanding debt securities of
the relevant series must not have given the trustee a direction during the sixty-day
period that is inconsistent with the above notice. (Petrobras Section 5.07; PifCo
Section 5.07) |
However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your
debt security on or after its due date and if your debt security is convertible or exchangeable
into another security to bring a lawsuit for the enforcement of your right to convert or exchange
your debt security or to receive securities upon conversion or exchange. (Petrobras Section 5.08;
PifCo Section 5.08)
Street name and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how
to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and to make or cancel a declaration
of acceleration.
We will furnish to the trustee within 90 days after the end of our fiscal year every year a
written statement of certain of our officers that will either certify that, to the best of their
knowledge, we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities or specify any default.
In addition, we will notify the trustee within 15 days (or promptly in the case of certain
bankruptcy-related events of default) after becoming aware of the occurrence of any event of
default. (Petrobras Section 10.05; PifCo Section 10.05)
Regarding the Trustee
We and some of our subsidiaries maintain banking relations with the trustee in the ordinary
course of our business.
If an event of default occurs, or an event occurs that would be an event of default if the
requirements for giving us default notice or our default having to exist for a specified period of
time were disregarded, the trustee may be considered to have a conflicting interest with respect to
the debt securities or the indenture for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. In that case,
the trustee may be required to resign as trustee under the applicable indenture and we would be
required to appoint a successor trustee.
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DESCRIPTION OF MANDATORY CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
We may issue mandatorily convertible securities under which holders receive a specified number
of our common shares or preferred shares at a future date or dates. The price per mandatory
convertible security and the number of common shares or preferred shares, as the case may be, that
holders receive at maturity may be fixed at the time mandatory convertible securities are issued or
may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the mandatory convertible
security. The mandatory convertible securities also may require us to make periodic payments to the
holders of the mandatory convertible securities, and such payments may be secured.
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the material terms of the mandatory
convertible securities. Reference will be made in the applicable prospectus supplement to the
mandatory convertible securities, and, if applicable, collateral, depositary or custodial
arrangements, relating to the mandatory convertible securities. Material U.S. and Brazilian federal
income tax considerations applicable to the holders of the mandatory convertible securities will
also be discussed in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We may issue warrants to purchase our debt securities, preferred shares (which may be in the
form of ADSs) or common shares (which may be in the form of ADSs). Warrants may be issued
independently or together with any securities and may be attached to or separate from those
securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered
into by us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the
applicable prospectus supplement.
Debt Warrants
The following briefly summarizes the material terms that will generally be included in a debt
warrant agreement. However, we may include different terms in the debt warrant agreement for any
particular series of debt warrants and such other terms and all pricing and related terms will be
disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement. You should read the particular terms of any debt
warrants that are offered by us and the related debt warrant agreement which will be described in
more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will also state
whether any of the generalized provisions summarized below do not apply to the debt warrants being
offered.
General
We may issue warrants for the purchase of our debt securities. As explained below, each debt
warrant will entitle its holder to purchase debt securities at an exercise price set forth in, or
to be determined as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Debt warrants may be issued
separately or together with debt securities.
The debt warrants are to be issued under debt warrant agreements to be entered into by us and
one or more banks or trust companies, as debt warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the
applicable prospectus supplement. At or around the time of an offering of debt warrants, a form of
debt warrant agreement, including a form of debt warrant certificate representing the debt
warrants, reflecting the alternative provisions that may be included in the debt warrant agreements
to be entered into with respect to particular offerings of debt warrants, will be filed by
amendment as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Terms of the Debt Warrants to Be Described In the Prospectus Supplement
The particular terms of each issue of debt warrants, the debt warrant agreement relating to
such debt warrants and such debt warrant certificates representing debt warrants will be described
in the applicable prospectus supplement. This description will include:
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the initial offering price; |
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the currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the exercise price for the
debt warrants is payable; |
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the title, aggregate principal amount and terms of the debt securities that can be
purchased upon exercise of the debt warrants; |
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the title, aggregate principal amount and terms of any related debt securities with
which the debt warrants are issued and the number of the debt warrants issued with each
debt security; |
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if applicable, whether and when the debt warrants and the related debt securities
will be separately transferable; |
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the principal amount of debt securities that can be purchased upon exercise of each
debt warrant and the exercise price; |
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the date on or after which the debt warrants may be exercised and any date or dates
on which this right will expire in whole or in part; |
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if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal and Brazilian income tax,
accounting or other considerations applicable to the debt warrants; |
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whether the debt warrants will be issued in registered or bearer form, and, if
registered, where they may be transferred and registered; |
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the maximum or minimum number of debt warrants that you may exercise at any time; and |
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any other terms of the debt warrants. |
You may exchange your debt warrant certificates for new debt warrant certificates of different
denominations but they must be exercisable for the same aggregate principal amount of debt
securities. If your debt warrant certificates are in registered form, you may present them for
registration of transfer at the corporate trust office of the debt warrant agent or any other
office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Except as otherwise indicated in a
prospectus supplement, before the exercise of debt warrants, holders of debt warrants will not be
entitled to payments of principal or any premium or interest on the debt securities that can be
purchased upon such exercise, or to enforce any of the covenants in the indenture relating to the
debt securities that may be purchased upon such exercise.
Exercise of Debt Warrants
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, each debt warrant will
entitle the holder to purchase a principal amount of debt securities for cash at an exercise price
in each case that will be set forth in, or to be determined as set forth in, the applicable
prospectus supplement. Debt warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on
the expiration date specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business
on the expiration date or any later date to which we extend the expiration date, unexercised debt
warrants will become void.
Debt warrants may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement applicable to the
particular debt warrants. Upon delivery of payment of the exercise price and the debt warrant
certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the debt warrant
agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will, as soon as
practicable, forward the debt securities that can be purchased upon such exercise of the debt
warrants to the person entitled to them. If fewer than all of the debt warrants represented by the
debt warrant certificate are exercised, a new debt warrant certificate will be issued for the
remaining unexercised debt warrants. Holders of debt warrants will be required to pay any tax or
governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with transferring the underlying debt
securities in connection with the exercise of the debt warrants.
Street name and other indirect holders of debt warrants should consult their bank or brokers for
information on how to exercise their debt warrants.
Modification and Waiver
There are three types of changes we can make to the debt warrant agreement and the debt
warrants of any series.
Changes Requiring Your Approval. First, there are changes that cannot be made to your debt
warrants or the debt warrant agreement under which they were issued without your specific approval.
These are the following types of changes:
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any increase in the exercise price; |
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any impairment of your ability to exercise the warrant; |
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any decrease in the principal amount of debt securities that can be purchased upon
exercise of any debt warrant; |
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any reduction of the period of time during which the debt warrants may be exercised; |
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any other change that materially and adversely affects the exercise rights of a
holder of debt warrant certificates or the debt securities that can be purchased upon
such exercise; and |
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any reduction in the number of outstanding unexercised debt warrants whose consent is
required for any modification or amendment described under Changes Requiring a Majority
Vote. |
Changes Requiring a Majority Vote. The second type of change to the debt warrant agreement or
debt warrants of any series is the kind that requires a vote of approval by the holders of not less
than a majority in number of the then outstanding unexercised debt warrants of that series. This
category includes all changes other than those listed above under Changes Requiring Your Approval
or changes that would not adversely affect holders of debt warrants or debt securities in any
material respect.
Changes Not Requiring Approval. The third type of change does not require any vote or consent
by the holders of debt warrant certificates. This type is limited to clarifications and other
changes that would not adversely affect such holders in any material respect.
Street name and other indirect holders of debt warrants should consult their bank or brokers for
information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change your debt warrants or the
debt warrant agreement under which they were issued or request a waiver.
Merger, Consolidation, Sale or Other Dispositions
Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, under the debt warrant agreement for
each series of debt warrants, we may consolidate with, or sell, convey or lease all or
substantially all of our assets to, or merge with or into, any other corporation or firm to the
extent permitted by the indenture for the debt securities that can be purchased upon exercise of
such debt warrants. If we consolidate with or merge into, or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of
all or substantially all of our assets to, another corporation or firm, that corporation or firm
must become legally responsible for our obligations under the debt warrant agreements and debt
warrants. If we sell or lease substantially all of our assets, one way the other firm or company
can become legally responsible for our obligations is by way of a full and unconditional guaranty
of our obligations. If the other company becomes legally responsible by a means other than a
guaranty, we will be relieved from all such obligations.
Enforceability of Rights; Governing Law
The debt warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the issuance and
exercise of debt warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for
or with any holder of a debt warrant certificate or any owner of a beneficial interest in debt
warrants. The holders of debt warrant certificates, without the consent of the debt warrant agent,
the trustee, the holder of any debt securities issued upon exercise of debt warrants or the holder
of any other debt warrant certificates, may, on their own behalf and for their own benefit,
enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against us to enforce, or
otherwise in respect of, their rights to exercise debt warrants evidenced by their debt warrant
certificates. Except as may otherwise be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, each
issue of debt warrants and the related debt warrant agreement will be governed by the laws of the
State of New York.
Additional Terms of the PifCo Debt Warrants
Debt securities to be issued by PifCo under the debt warrants and the PifCo debt warrant
agreement will be guaranteed by Petrobras. See Description of the Guaranties.
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Equity Warrants
The following briefly summarizes the material terms that will generally be included in an
equity warrant agreement. However, we may include different terms in the equity warrant agreement
for any particular series of equity warrants and such other terms and all pricing and related terms
will be disclosed in the applicable prospectus supplement. You should read the particular terms of
any equity warrants that are offered by us and the related equity warrant agreement which will be
described in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will
also state whether any of the general provisions summarized below do not apply to the equity
warrants being offered.
General
We may issue warrants for the purchase of our equity securities (i.e., our common shares and
preferred shares, which may be in the form of ADSs). As explained below, each equity warrant will
entitle its holder to purchase equity securities at an exercise price set forth in, or to be
determined as set forth in, the applicable prospectus supplement. Equity warrants may be issued
separately or together with equity securities.
We may issue equity warrants in connection with preemptive rights of our shareholders in
connection with any capital increase, and in those circumstances we may choose to issue equity
warrants in uncertificated form to the extent permitted by Brazilian law. In addition, if any
equity warrants are offered in connection with preemptive rights, we may exclude holders resident
in the United States from that offering to the extent permitted by Brazilian law. Equity warrants
(other than equity warrants issued in connection with preemptive rights) are to be issued under
equity warrant agreements to be entered into by us and one or more banks or trust companies, as
equity warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. At or
around the time of an offering of equity warrants, a form of equity warrant agreement, including a
form of equity warrant certificate representing the equity warrants, reflecting the alternative
provisions that may be included in the equity warrant agreements to be entered into with respect to
particular offerings of equity warrants, will be filed by amendment as an exhibit to the
registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Terms of the Equity Warrants to Be Described in the Prospectus Supplement
The particular terms of each issue of equity warrants, the equity warrant agreement (if any)
relating to such equity warrants and the equity warrant certificates (if any) representing such
equity warrants will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. This description will
include:
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the initial offering price; |
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the currency, currency unit or composite currency in which the exercise price for the
equity warrants is payable; |
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the designation and terms of the equity securities (i.e., preferred shares or common
shares) that can be purchased upon exercise of the equity warrants; |
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the total number of preferred shares or common shares that can be purchased upon
exercise of each equity warrant and the exercise price; |
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the date or dates on or after which the equity warrants may be exercised and any date
or dates on which this right will expire in whole or in part; |
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the designation and terms of any related preferred shares or common shares with which
the equity warrants are issued and the number of the equity warrants issued with each
preferred share or common share; |
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if applicable, whether and when the equity warrants and the related preferred shares
or common shares will be separately transferable; |
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whether the equity warrants will be in registered or bearer form; |
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if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal and Brazilian income tax,
accounting or other considerations applicable to the equity warrants; and |
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any other terms of the equity warrants, including terms, procedures and limitations
relating to the exchange and exercise of the equity warrants. |
You may exchange your equity warrant certificates for new equity warrant certificates of
different denominations but they must be exercisable for the same aggregate principal amount of
equity securities. If your equity warrant certificates are in registered form, you may present them
for registration of transfer and exercise them at the corporate trust office of the equity warrant
agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless otherwise
indicated in a prospectus supplement, before the exercise of equity warrants, holders of equity
warrants will not be entitled to receive dividends or exercise voting rights with respect to the
equity securities that can be purchased upon such exercise, to receive notice as shareholders with
respect to any meeting of shareholders for the election of our directors or any other matter, or to
exercise any rights whatsoever as a shareholder.
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, the exercise price payable and
the number of common shares or preferred shares that can be purchased upon the exercise of each
equity warrant (other than equity warrants issued in connection with preemptive rights) will be
subject to adjustment in certain events, including the issuance of a stock dividend to holders of
common shares or preferred shares or a stock split, reverse stock split, combination, subdivision
or reclassification of common shares or preferred shares. Instead of adjusting the number of common
shares or preferred shares that can be purchased upon exercise of each equity warrant, we may elect
to adjust the number of equity warrants. No adjustments in the number of shares that can be
purchased upon exercise of the equity warrants will be required until cumulative adjustments
require an adjustment of at least 1% of those shares. We may, at our option, reduce the exercise
price at any time. We will not issue fractional shares or ADSs upon exercise of equity warrants,
but we will pay the cash value of any fractional shares otherwise issuable.
Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, if there is a consolidation, merger or sale or
conveyance of substantially all of our property, the holder of each outstanding equity warrant will
have the right to the kind and amount of shares and other securities and property (including cash)
receivable by a holder of the number of common shares or preferred shares into which that equity
warrant was exercisable immediately prior to the consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance.
Exercise of Equity Warrants
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, each equity warrant will
entitle the holder to purchase a number of equity securities for cash at an exercise price in each
case that will be set forth in, or to be determined as set forth in, the prospectus supplement.
Equity warrants may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date
specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration
date or any later date to which we extend the expiration date, unexercised equity warrants will
become void. Equity warrants for the purchase of preferred shares or common shares may be issued in
the form of ADSs.
Equity warrants may be exercised as set forth in the prospectus supplement applicable to the
particular equity warrants. Upon delivery of payment of the exercise price, delivery of the equity
warrant certificate (if any) properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of
the equity warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement and
satisfaction of any other applicable requirements specified in the applicable prospectus
supplement, we will, as soon as practicable, forward the equity securities that can be purchased
upon such exercise of the equity warrants to the person entitled to them. If fewer than all of the
equity warrants represented by the equity warrant certificate are exercised, a new equity warrant
certificate will be issued for the remaining equity warrants. Holders of equity warrants will be
required to pay any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with transferring
the underlying equity securities in connection with the exercise of the equity warrants.
Street name and other indirect holders of equity warrants should consult their bank or brokers for
information on how to exercise their equity warrants.
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Modification and Waiver
There are three types of changes we can make to the equity warrant agreement and the equity
warrants of any series.
Changes Requiring Your Approval. First, there are changes that cannot be made to your equity
warrants or the equity warrant agreement under which they were issued without your specific
approval. These are the following types of changes:
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any increase in the exercise price; |
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any impairment of your ability to exercise the warrant; |
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any decrease in the total number of preferred shares or common shares that can be
purchased upon exercise of any equity warrant; |
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any reduction of the period of time during which the equity warrants may be
exercised; |
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any other change that materially and adversely affects the exercise rights of a
holder of equity warrant certificates or the equity securities that can be purchased
upon such exercise; and |
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any reduction in the number of outstanding unexercised equity warrants whose consent
is required for any modification or amendment described under Changes Requiring a
Majority Vote. |
Changes Requiring a Majority Vote. The second type of change to the equity warrant agreement
or equity warrants of any series is the kind that requires a vote of approval by the holders of not
less than a majority in number of the then outstanding unexercised equity warrants of that series.
This category includes all changes other than those listed above under Changes Requiring Your
Approval or changes that would not adversely affect holders of equity warrants in any material
respect.
Changes Not Requiring Approval. The third type of change does not require any vote or consent
by the holders of equity warrant certificates. This type is limited to clarifications, amendments,
supplement and other changes that would not adversely affect such holders in any material respect.
Street name and other indirect holders of equity warrants should consult their bank or brokers for
information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change your equity warrants or
the equity warrant agreement under which they were issued or request a waiver.
Merger, Consolidation, Sale or Other Dispositions
Unless otherwise indicated in a prospectus supplement, under the equity warrant agreement for
each series of equity warrants, we may consolidate with, or sell, convey or lease all or
substantially all of our assets to, or merge with or into, any other corporation or firm to the
extent permitted by the terms of the equity securities that can be purchased upon exercise of such
equity warrants. If we consolidate with or merge into, or sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all
or substantially all of our assets to, another corporation or firm, that corporation or firm must
become legally responsible for our obligations under the equity warrant agreements and equity
warrants and we will be relieved from all such obligations.
Enforceability of Rights; Governing Law
The equity warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the issuance and
exercise of equity warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust
for or with any holder of an equity warrant certificate or any owner of a beneficial interest in equity warrants. The holders of
equity warrant certificates, without the consent of the equity warrant agent, the holder of any
equity securities issued upon exercise of equity warrants or the holder of any other equity warrant
certificates, may, on their own behalf and for their own benefit, enforce, and may institute and
maintain any suit, action or proceeding against us to enforce, or otherwise in respect of, their
rights to exercise equity warrants evidenced by their equity warrant certificates. Except as may
otherwise be provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, each issue of equity warrants and
the related equity warrant agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
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DESCRIPTION OF THE GUARANTIES
The following description of the terms and provisions of the guaranties summarizes the general
terms that will apply to each guaranty that we deliver in connection with an issuance of debt
securities or debt warrants by PifCo. When PifCo sells a series of its debt securities or debt
warrants, Petrobras will execute and deliver a guaranty of that series of debt securities or debt
warrants for the benefit of the holders of that series of debt securities or debt warrants. You
should read the more detailed provisions of the applicable guaranty, including the defined terms,
for provisions that may be important to you. This summary is subject to, and qualified in its
entirety by reference to, the provisions of such guaranty.
Pursuant to any guaranty, Petrobras will agree, from time to time upon the receipt of notice
from the trustee that PifCo has failed to make the required payments under a series of debt
securities and the PifCo indenture or under the debt warrants and the PifCo debt warrant agreement,
to indemnify you for unpaid claims against PifCo, whether those claims are in respect of principal,
interest or any other amounts. The amount to be paid by Petrobras under the guaranty will be an
amount equal to the amount of those claims plus interest thereon from the date PifCo was otherwise
obligated to make its payments under the PifCo indenture to the date Petrobras actually makes
payment under the guaranty. Petrobras will be obligated to make these payments by the expiration of
any applicable grace periods under the PifCo indenture and the applicable terms of the debt
securities or debt warrants. Petrobras may have the right to defer its obligation under the
guaranty to make payments under certain circumstances described in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
Only one guaranty will be issued by Petrobras in connection with the issuance of a series of
debt securities or debt warrants by PifCo. Each guaranty will be qualified as an indenture under
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. Unless the applicable prospectus supplement states otherwise, The
Bank of New York Mellon will act as guaranty trustee under each guaranty.
A guaranty may include certain covenants and other provisions relating to Petrobras. The
description of the applicable guaranty in the prospectus supplement will summarize the material
provisions thereof and reference will be made to the guaranty.
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DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS
General
JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. has agreed to act as the depositary for the American depositary
shares. The depositary offices are located at 4 New York Plaza, New York, New York 10004. American
depositary shares are frequently referred to as ADSs and represent ownership interests in
securities that are on deposit with the depositary. ADSs are normally represented by certificates
that are commonly known as American depositary receipts or ADRs. The depositary has appointed a
custodian, as agent of the depositary, to safekeep the securities on deposit under the applicable
deposit agreement.
The depositary issues the ADSs under two amended and restated deposit agreements among us, the
depositary and all registered holders from time to time of ADRs issued thereunder. Each ADS
represents an ownership interest in two common or two preferred shares, as the case may be, in each
case deposited with the custodian, as agent of the depositary, under the applicable deposit
agreement. Each ADS will also represent any securities, cash or other property hereinafter
deposited with the depositary but which they have not distributed directly to you. Unless
specifically requested, all ADSs are issued on the books of our depositary in book-entry form and
periodic statements are mailed to holders entitled thereto reflecting their ownership interests in
such ADSs. In our description, references to American depositary receipts or ADRs shall include the
statements you will receive which reflect your ownership of ADSs.
You may hold ADSs either directly or indirectly through your broker or other financial
institution. If you hold ADSs directly, by having an ADS registered in your name on the books of
the depositary, you are an ADR holder. This description assumes you hold your ADSs directly and, as
such, Petrobras will refer to you as the ADR holder. When Petrobras refers to you, Petrobras
assumes the reader owns ADSs and will own ADSs at the relevant time. If you hold the ADSs through
your broker or financial institution nominee, you must rely on the procedures of such broker or
financial institution to assert the rights of an ADR holder described in this section. You should
consult with your broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.
If you become an owner of ADSs, you will become a party to the applicable deposit agreement
and therefore will be bound by its terms and to the terms of the ADR that represents your ADSs. The
applicable deposit agreement and the ADR specify Petrobras rights and obligations as well as your
rights and obligations and those of the depositary. As an ADR holder you have agreed to appoint the
depositary to act on your behalf in certain circumstances. The deposit agreements and the ADRs are
governed by New York law. However, Petrobras obligations to the holders of the preferred shares
and common shares will continue to be governed by the laws of Brazil, which may be different from
the laws in the United States. Because the depositary or its nominee will actually be the
registered owner of the preferred shares or common shares, you must rely on it to exercise the
rights of a shareholder on your behalf.
The following is a summary of the material terms of each of the two deposit agreements.
Because it is a summary, it does not contain all the information that may be important to you. For
more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement applicable to your ADSs and
the form of ADR which contains the terms of such ADSs. You can read a copy of the deposit
agreements, which were each filed as an exhibit to the Form F-6 registration statements previously
filed with the Commission. You may also obtain a copy of the deposit agreements at the SECs Public
Reference Room. See Where You Can Find More Information.
Dividends and Distributions
We may make various types of distributions with respect to our securities. The depositary has
agreed that, to the extent practicable, it will pay to you the cash dividends or other
distributions it or the custodian receives on preferred shares or common shares or other deposited
securities, after converting any cash received into U.S. dollars and, in all cases, making any
necessary deductions provided for in the applicable deposit agreement. You will receive these
distributions in proportion to the number of underlying securities that your ADSs represent.
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Except as stated below, the depositary will deliver such distributions to ADR holders in
proportion to their interests in the following manner:
Distributions of Cash. The depositary will distribute any U.S. dollars available to it
resulting from a cash dividend or other cash distribution or the net proceeds of sales of any other
distribution or portion thereof (to the extent applicable), on an averaged or other practicable
basis, subject to (i) appropriate adjustments for taxes withheld, (ii) such distribution being
impermissible or impracticable with respect to certain registered ADR holders, and (iii) deduction
of the depositarys expenses in (1) converting any foreign currency to U.S. dollars to the extent
that it determines that such conversion may be made on a reasonable basis, (2) transferring foreign
currency or U.S. dollars to the United States by such means as the depositary may determine to the
extent that it determines that such transfer may be made on a reasonable basis, (3) obtaining any
approval or license of any governmental authority required for such conversion or transfer, which
is obtainable at a reasonable cost and within a reasonable time and (4) making any sale by public
or private means in any commercially reasonable manner. If we shall have advised the depositary
pursuant to the provisions of the applicable deposit agreement that any such conversion, transfer
or distribution can be effected only with the approval or license of the Brazilian government or
any agency thereof or the depositary shall become aware of any other governmental approval or
license required therefor, the depositary may, in its reasonable discretion, apply for such
approval or license, if any, as we or our Brazilian counsel may reasonably instruct in writing or
as the depositary may deem desirable including, without limitation, Brazilian Central Bank
registration. If exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert a
foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.
Distributions of Shares. In the case of a distribution in preferred shares or common shares,
the depositary will issue additional ADRs to evidence the number of ADSs representing the aggregate
preferred shares or common shares deposited. Only whole new ADSs will be issued. Any shares which
would result in fractional ADSs will be sold and the net proceeds will be distributed in the same
manner as cash to the ADR holders entitled thereto.
The distribution of new ADRs or the modification of the ADS-to-share ratio upon a distribution
of preferred shares or common shares will be reduced by applicable fees, expenses, taxes and
governmental charges payable by holders under the terms of the deposit agreement. In order to pay
the taxes or governmental charges, the depositary may sell all or a portion of the new preferred
shares or common shares so distributed.
No distribution of new ADRs as described above will be made if it would violate the U.S.
securities laws, or any other law, or if it is not operationally practicable. If the depositary
does not distribute new ADRs as described above, it will use its best efforts to sell the preferred
shares or common shares received and will distribute the proceeds of the sale as in the case of a
distribution of cash.
Distributions of Rights. In the case of a distribution of rights to subscribe for additional
preferred shares or common shares or other rights, if we provide evidence satisfactory to the
depositary that it may lawfully distribute such rights, the depositary will distribute warrants or
other instruments in the discretion of the depositary representing such rights. You may have to pay
fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges to subscribe for the new ADSs upon the
exercise of your right.
If we do not furnish such evidence, however, the depositary may:
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sell such rights if practicable and distribute the net proceeds in the same manner as
cash to the ADR holders entitled thereto; or |
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if it is not practicable to sell such rights, do nothing and allow such rights to
lapse, in which case ADR holders will receive nothing. |
We have no obligation to file a registration statement under the Securities Act in order to
make any rights available to ADR holders.
Other Distributions. In the case of a distribution of securities or property other than those
described above, the depositary may either (i) distribute such securities or property in any manner
it deems equitable and practicable or (ii) to the extent the depositary deems distribution of such
securities or property not to be equitable and practicable, sell such securities or property and
distribute any net proceeds in the same way it distributes cash.
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If the depositary determines that any distribution described above is not practicable with
respect to any specific registered ADR holder, the depositary may choose any method of distribution
that it deems practicable for such ADR holder, including the distribution of foreign currency,
securities or property, or it may retain such items, without paying interest on or investing them,
on behalf of the ADR holder as deposited securities, in which case the ADSs will also represent the
retained items.
Any U.S. dollars will be distributed by checks drawn on a bank in the United States for whole
dollars and cents. Fractional cents will be withheld without liability and dealt with by the
depositary in accordance with its then current practices. Subject to the other provisions of the
applicable deposit agreement (including the ADRs issued thereunder), the depositary shall cause any
cash distribution that is paid in a currency other than U.S. dollars to be converted into U.S.
dollars as promptly as reasonably practicable under the circumstances after the receipt thereof.
The distribution will be reduced by any applicable fees, expenses, taxes and governmental charges
payable by holders under the terms of the applicable deposit agreement.
The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a
distribution available to any ADR holders. There can be no assurance that the depositary will be
able to convert any currency at a specified exchange rate or sell any property, rights, preferred
shares or common shares or other securities at a specified price, nor that any of such transactions
can be completed within a specified time period.
Issuance of ADSs upon Deposit of Preferred Shares or Common Shares
The depositary will issue ADSs if you or your broker deposits preferred shares or common
shares or evidence of rights to receive preferred shares or common shares with the custodian and
pay the fees and expenses owing to the depositary in connection with such issuance. In the case of
the ADSs to be issued under this prospectus, we will arrange with the underwriters named in the
applicable prospectus supplement to deposit such shares.
Preferred shares or common shares deposited in the future with the custodian must be
accompanied by certain delivery documentation, including instruments showing that such shares have
been properly transferred or endorsed to the person on whose behalf the deposit is being made.
The custodian will hold all deposited preferred shares or common shares (including those being
deposited by or on our behalf in connection with the offering to which this prospectus relates) for
the account of the depositary. ADR holders thus have no direct ownership interest in the preferred
shares or common shares and only have such rights as are contained in the applicable deposit
agreement. The custodian will also hold any additional securities, property and cash received on or
in substitution for the deposited preferred shares or common shares. The deposited preferred shares
or common shares and any such additional items are referred to as deposited securities.
Upon each deposit of preferred shares or common shares, receipt of related delivery
documentation and compliance with the other provisions of the applicable deposit agreement,
including the payment of the fees and charges of the depositary and any taxes or other fees or
charges owing, the depositary will issue an ADR or ADRs in the name or upon the order of the person
entitled thereto evidencing the number of ADSs to which such person is entitled. All of the ADSs
issued will, unless specifically requested to the contrary, be part of the depositarys direct
registration system, and a registered holder will receive periodic statements from the depositary
which will show the number of ADSs registered in such holders name. An ADR holder can request that
the ADSs not be held through the depositarys direct registration system and that a certificated
ADR be issued.
Withdrawal of Shares Upon Cancellation of ADSs
When you turn in your ADR certificate at the depositarys office, or when you provide proper
instructions and documentation in the case of direct registration ADSs, the depositary will, upon
payment of certain applicable fees, charges and taxes, deliver the underlying preferred shares or
common shares to you or upon your written order. At your risk, expense and request, the depositary
may deliver deposited securities at such other place as you may request.
The depositary may only restrict the withdrawal of deposited securities in connection with:
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temporary delays caused by closing our transfer books or those of the depositary or
the deposit of preferred shares or common shares in connection with voting at a
shareholders meeting, or the payment of dividends; |
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the payment of fees, taxes and similar charges; or |
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compliance with any U.S. or foreign laws or governmental regulations relating to the
ADRs or to the withdrawal of deposited securities. |
This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the applicable deposit
agreement.
Record Dates
The depositary may, or shall if required, in each case after consultation with us if
practicable, fix record dates for the determination of the registered ADR holders who will be
entitled (or obligated, as the case may be):
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to receive any distribution on or in respect of preferred shares or common shares, |
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to give instructions for the exercise of voting rights at a meeting of holders of
shares, |
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to pay the fee assessed by the depositary for administration of the ADR program and
for any expenses as provided for in the ADR, or |
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to receive any notice or to act in respect of other matters |
all subject to the provisions of the applicable deposit agreement.
Voting Rights
According to Petrobras charter, preferred shares do not entitle the holder to vote except as
provided by Brazilian law under limited circumstances, including upon default in the payment of
dividends for three consecutive years. A holder of an ADR representing a common share will
generally have the right under the applicable deposit agreement to instruct the depositary to
exercise the voting rights for the common shares represented by your ADRs. The voting rights of
holders of preferred shares and common shares are described in Item 10. Memorandum and Articles of
Association of IncorporationVoting Rights in the annual report on Form 20-F of Petrobras and
PifCo for the year ended December 31, 2008, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
If you are an ADR holder and the depositary asks you to provide it with voting instructions,
you may instruct the depositary how to exercise the voting rights for the preferred shares or
common shares that underlie your ADSs. As soon as practicable after receiving notice of any meeting
or solicitation of consents or proxies from us, the depositary will distribute to the registered
ADR holders a notice stating such information as is contained in the voting materials received by
the depositary and describing how you may instruct the depositary to exercise the voting rights for
the preferred shares or common shares which underlie your ADSs, including instructions for giving a
discretionary proxy to a person designated by us. For instructions to be valid, the depositary must
receive them in the manner and on or before the date specified. The depositary will try, as far as
is practical, subject to the provisions of and governing the underlying preferred shares or common
shares or other deposited securities, to vote or to have its agents vote the preferred shares or
common shares or other deposited securities as you instruct. The depositary will only vote or
attempt to vote as you instruct. The depositary will not itself exercise any voting discretion. To
the extent such instructions are not so received by the depositary from any holder, the depositary
shall take such action as is necessary, upon our written request and subject to applicable law, and
the terms and conditions of the deposited securities, to cause such underlying preferred shares or
common shares to be counted for the purposes of satisfying applicable quorum requirements.
Neither the depositary nor its agents are responsible for any failure to carry out any voting
instructions, for the manner in which any vote is cast or for the effect of any vote. There is no
guarantee that you will receive voting materials in time to instruct the depositary to vote and it
is possible that you, or persons who hold their ADSs through brokers, dealers or other third
parties, will not have the opportunity to exercise a right to vote.
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Reports and Other Communications
The depositary will make available for inspection by ADR holders at the offices of the
depositary and the custodian the applicable deposit agreement, the provisions of or governing
deposited securities, and any written communications from us which are both received by the
custodian or its nominee as a holder of deposited securities and made generally available to the
holders of deposited securities.
Additionally, if we make any written communications generally available to holders of our
shares, and we furnish copies thereof (or English translations or summaries) to the depositary, it
will distribute the same to registered ADR holders.
Fees and Charges
The depositary may charge each person to whom ADSs are issued, including, without limitation,
issuances against deposits of preferred shares or common shares, issuances in respect of share
distributions, rights and other distributions, issuances pursuant to a stock dividend or stock
split declared by us or issuances pursuant to a merger, exchange of securities or any other
transaction or event affecting the ADSs or deposited securities, and each person surrendering ADSs
for withdrawal of deposited securities or whose ADRs are cancelled or reduced for any other reason,
$5.00 for each 100 ADSs (or any portion thereof) issued, delivered, reduced, cancelled or
surrendered, as the case may be. The depositary may sell (by public or private sale) sufficient
securities and property received in respect of a preferred share or common share distribution,
rights and/or other distribution prior to such deposit to pay such charge.
The following additional charges shall be incurred by the ADR holders, by any party depositing or
withdrawing preferred shares or common shares or by any party surrendering ADSs or to whom ADSs are
issued (including, without limitation, issuance pursuant to a stock dividend or stock split
declared by us or an exchange of stock regarding the ADRs or the deposited securities or a
distribution of ADSs), whichever is applicable:
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a fee of U.S.$1.50 per ADR or ADRs for transfers of certificated or direct
registration ADRs; |
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a fee of U.S.$0.02 or less per ADS (or portion thereof) for any cash distribution
made pursuant to the applicable deposit agreement; |
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a fee of U.S.$0.02 per ADS (or portion thereof) per calendar year for services
performed by the depositary in administering the ADRs (which fee may be assessed against
holders of ADRs as of the record date or record dates set by the depositary during each
calendar year and shall be payable in the manner described in the next succeeding
provision); |
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reimbursement of such fees, charges and expenses as are incurred by the depositary
(including, without limitation, expenses incurred on behalf of holders in connection
with compliance with foreign exchange control regulations or any law or regulation
relating to foreign investment) in delivery of deposited securities or otherwise in
connection with the depositarys or its custodians compliance with applicable law, rule
or regulation; |
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any other charge payable by any of the depositary, any of the depositarys agents,
including, without limitation, the custodian, or the agents of the depositarys agents
in connection with the servicing of the preferred shares or common shares or other
deposited securities (which charge shall be assessed against holders as of the record
date or dates set by the depositary and shall be payable at the sole discretion of the
depositary by billing such holders or by deducting such charge from one or more cash
dividends or other cash distributions); |
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a fee for the distribution of securities (or the sale of securities in connection
with a distribution), such fee being in an amount equal to the fee for the execution and
delivery of ADSs which would have been charged as a result of the deposit of such
securities (treating all such securities as if they were shares) but which securities or
the net cash proceeds from the sale thereof are instead distributed by the depositary to
those holders entitled thereto; |
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stock transfer or other taxes and other governmental charges; |
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cable, telex and facsimile transmission and delivery charges incurred at your request
in connection with the deposit or delivery of preferred shares or common shares; |
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transfer or registration fees for the registration of transfer of deposited
securities on any applicable register in connection with the deposit or withdrawal of
deposited securities; and |
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expenses of the depositary in connection with the conversion of foreign currency into
U.S. dollars. |
We will pay all other charges and expenses of the depositary and any agent of the depositary
(except the custodian) pursuant to agreements from time to time between the depositary and us. The
charges described above may be amended from time to time by agreement between the depositary and
us.
Our depositary reimburses us for certain expenses we incur that are related to our ADR
programs, including investor relations expenses and exchange application and listing fees. The
amount of reimbursement available to us is not based upon the amounts of fees the depositary
collects from investors. The depositary collects its fees for issuance and cancellation of ADSs
directly from investors depositing preferred shares or common shares or surrendering ADSs for the
purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for
making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by
selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual
fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions, or by directly billing investors,
or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may
generally refuse to provide services to any holder until the fees and expenses owing by such holder
for those services or otherwise are paid.
Payment of Taxes
ADR holders must pay any tax or other governmental charge payable by the custodian or the
depositary on any ADS or ADR, deposited security or distribution. If an ADR holder owes any tax or
other governmental charge, the depositary may (i) deduct the amount thereof from any cash
distributions, or (ii) sell deposited securities (by public or private sale) and deduct the amount
owing from the net proceeds of such sale. In either case the ADR holder remains liable for any
shortfall. Additionally, if any tax or governmental charge is unpaid, the depositary may also
refuse to effect any registration, registration of transfer, split-up or combination of deposited
securities or withdrawal of deposited securities until such payment is made. If any tax or
governmental charge is required to be withheld on any cash distribution, the depositary may deduct
the amount required to be withheld from any cash distribution or, in the case of a non-cash
distribution, sell the distributed property or securities (by public or private sale) to pay such
taxes and distribute any remaining net proceeds to the ADR holders entitled thereto.
By holding an ADR or an interest therein, you will be agreeing to indemnify us, the
depositary, its custodian and any of our or their respective directors, employees, agents and
affiliates against, and hold each of them harmless from, any claims by any governmental authority
with respect to taxes, additions to tax, penalties or interest arising out of any refund of taxes,
reduced rate of withholding at source or other tax benefit obtained.
Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers
If we take certain actions that affect the deposited securities, including (i) any change in
par value, split-up, consolidation, cancellation or other reclassification of deposited securities
or (ii) any distributions not made to holders of ADRs or (iii) any recapitalization,
reorganization, merger, consolidation, liquidation, receivership, bankruptcy or sale of all or
substantially all of our assets, then the depositary may choose to:
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amend the form of ADR; |
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distribute additional or amended ADRs; |
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distribute cash, securities or other property it has received in connection with such
actions; |
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sell any securities or property received and distribute the proceeds as cash; or |
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none of the above. |
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If the depositary does not choose any of the above options, any of the cash, securities or
other property it receives will constitute part of the deposited securities and each ADS will then
represent a proportionate interest in such property.
Amendments and Termination
We may agree with the depositary to amend either deposit agreement and the ADSs issued
thereunder without your consent for any reason. ADR holders must be given at least 30 days notice
of any amendment that imposes or increases any fees or charges (other than stock transfer or other
taxes and other governmental charges, transfer or registration fees, cable, telex or facsimile
transmission costs, delivery costs or other such expenses), or otherwise prejudices any substantial
existing right of ADR holders. If an ADR holder continues to hold an ADR or ADRs after being so
notified, such ADR holder is deemed to agree to such amendment and to be bound by each and any
deposit agreement as so amended. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any governmental body or
regulatory body should adopt new laws, rules or regulations which would require amendment or
supplement of either or both deposit agreements or the forms of ADR to ensure compliance therewith,
we and the depositary may amend or supplement a deposit agreement and the ADRs at any time in
accordance with such changed laws, rules or regulations, which amendment or supplement may take
effect before a notice is given or within any other period of time as required for compliance. No
amendment, however, will impair your right to surrender your ADSs and receive the underlying
securities, except in order to comply with mandatory provisions of applicable law.
The depositary may, and shall at our written direction, terminate a deposit agreement and the
ADRs by mailing notice of such termination to the registered holders of ADRs at least 30 days prior
to the date fixed in such notice for such termination; provided, however, if the depositary shall
have (i) resigned as depositary under the deposit agreement, notice of such termination by the
depositary shall not be provided to registered holders unless a successor depositary shall not be
operating under the deposit agreement within 60 days of the date of such resignation, and (ii) been
removed as depositary under the deposit agreement, notice of such termination by the depositary
shall not be provided to registered holders of ADRs unless a successor depositary shall not be
operating under such deposit agreement on the 60th day after our notice of removal was
first provided to the depositary. After termination, the depositarys only responsibility will be
(i) to deliver deposited securities to ADR holders who surrender their ADRs, and (ii) to hold or
sell distributions received on deposited securities. As soon as practicable after the expiration of
six months from the termination date, the depositary will sell the deposited securities which
remain and hold the net proceeds of such sales (as long as it may lawfully do so), without
liability for interest, in trust for the ADR holders who have not yet surrendered their ADRs. After
making such sale, the depositary shall have no obligations except to account for such proceeds and
other cash and for any obligations to the company under the indemnifications provisions of such
deposit agreement.
Limitations on Obligations and Liabilities
Prior to the issue, registration, registration of transfer, split-up, combination, or
cancellation of any ADRs, or the delivery of any distribution in respect thereof, and from time to
time, we or the depositary or its custodian may require:
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payment with respect thereto of (i) any stock transfer or other tax or other
governmental charge, (ii) any stock transfer or registration fees in effect for the
registration of transfers of preferred shares or common shares or other deposited
securities upon any applicable register and (iii) any applicable fees and expenses
described in the applicable deposit agreement; |
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the production of proof satisfactory to it of (i) the identity of any signatory and
genuineness of any signature and (ii) such other information, including without
limitation, information as to citizenship, residence, exchange control approval,
beneficial ownership of any securities, compliance with applicable law, regulations,
provisions of or governing deposited securities and terms of the applicable deposit
agreement and the ADRs issued or to be issued thereunder, as it may deem necessary or
proper; and |
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compliance with such regulations as the depositary may establish consistent with the
applicable deposit agreement and any regulations which the depositary is informed of in
writing by us which are deemed |
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desirable by the depositary, the company or the custodian to facilitate compliance with
any applicable rules or regulations of the Banco Central do Brasil or Comissão de Valores
Mobiliários. |
The issuance of ADRs, the acceptance of deposits of preferred shares or common shares, the
registration, registration of transfer, split-up or combination of ADRs or the withdrawal of
preferred shares or common shares, may be suspended, generally or in particular instances, when the
ADR register or any register for deposited securities is closed or when any such action is deemed
advisable by the depositary or, in order for us to comply with applicable law; provided that the
ability to withdraw preferred shares or common shares may only be limited under the following
circumstances: (i) temporary delays caused by closing transfer books of the depositary or our
transfer books or the deposit of preferred shares or common shares in connection with voting at a
shareholders meeting, or the payment of dividends, (ii) the payment of fees, taxes, and similar
charges, and (iii) compliance with any laws or governmental regulations relating to ADRs or to the
withdrawal of deposited securities.
Each deposit agreement expressly limits the obligations and liability of the depositary, our
respective agents and ourselves. Neither we nor the depositary nor any such agent will be liable
if:
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any present or future law, rule or regulation of the United States, the Federative
Republic of Brazil or any other country, or of any governmental or regulatory authority
or securities exchange or market or automated quotation system, the provisions of or
governing any deposited securities, any present or future provision of our charter, any
act of God, war, terrorism or other circumstance beyond our, the depositarys or our
respective agents control (including, without limitation, nationalization,
expropriation, currency restrictions, work stoppage, strike, civil unrest, revolutions,
rebellions, explosions and computer failure) shall prevent, delay, or subject any of us
or them to any civil or criminal penalty in connection with, any act which the deposit
agreement or the ADRs provide shall be done or performed by us, the depositary or our
respective agents (including, without limitation, voting); |
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it exercises or fails to exercise discretion under a deposit agreement or the ADRs
issued thereunder; |
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it performs its obligations under a deposit agreement and/or the ADRs issued
thereunder without gross negligence or bad faith; |
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it takes any action or refrains from taking any action in reliance upon the advice of
or information from legal counsel, accountants, any person presenting preferred shares
or common shares for deposit, any registered holder of ADRs, or any other person
believed by it to be competent to give such advice or information; or |
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it relies upon any written notice, request, direction or other document believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties. |
Neither the depositary nor its agents have any obligation to appear in, prosecute or defend
any action, suit or other proceeding in respect of any deposited securities or the ADRs. We and our
agents shall only be obligated to appear in, prosecute or defend any action, suit or other
proceeding in respect of any deposited securities or the ADRs, which in our opinion may involve us
in expense or liability, if indemnity satisfactory to us against all expense (including fees and
disbursements of counsel) and liability is furnished as often as may be required. The depositary
and its agents may fully respond to any and all demands or requests for information maintained by
or on its behalf in connection with a deposit agreement, any registered holder or holders of ADRs,
any ADRs or otherwise related to a deposit agreement or ADRs to the extent such information is
requested or required by or pursuant to any lawful authority, including without limitation laws,
rules, regulations, administrative or judicial process, banking, securities or other regulators.
Neither the depositary nor its agents will be responsible for any failure to carry out any
instructions to vote any of the deposited securities, for the manner in which any such vote is cast
or for the effect of any such vote. The depositary may rely upon our instructions or our Brazilian
counsels instructions in respect of any approval or license of the Brazilian government or any
agency thereof required for any currency conversion, transfer or distribution. Neither we nor the
depositary nor any of our or their respective agents shall be liable to holders or beneficial
owners of interests in ADSs for any indirect, special, punitive or consequential damages.
The depositary may own and deal in any class of our securities and in ADSs.
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Disclosure of Interest in ADSs
To the extent that the provisions of or governing any deposited securities may require
disclosure of or impose limits on beneficial or other ownership of deposited securities, other
shares and other securities and may provide for blocking transfer, voting or other rights to
enforce such disclosure or limits, you agree to comply with all such disclosure requirements and
ownership limitations and to comply with any reasonable instructions we may provide in respect
thereof. We reserve the right to instruct you to deliver your ADSs for cancellation and withdrawal
of the deposited securities so as to permit us to deal with you directly as a holder of preferred
shares or common shares and, by holding an ADS or an interest therein, you will be agreeing to
comply with such instructions.
Books of Depositary
The depositary or its agent will maintain a register for the registration, registration of
transfer, combination and split-up of ADRs, which register shall include the depositarys direct
registration system. Registered holders of ADRs may inspect such records at the depositarys office
at all reasonable times, but solely for the purpose of communicating with other holders in the
interest of the business of our company or a matter relating to the deposit agreement. Such
register may be closed from time to time, when deemed expedient by the depositary or requested by
us. The depositary will maintain facilities for the delivery and receipt of ADRs.
Pre-Release of ADSs
Unless requested in writing to cease doing so at least two business days prior to the proposed
deposit, the depositary may issue ADSs prior to the receipt of preferred shares or common shares
(each such transaction a pre-release) only if (i) such pre-released ADRs are fully collateralized
(marked to market daily) with cash, government securities or such other collateral as the
depositary deems appropriate held by the depositary for the benefit of registered holders of ADRs
(but such collateral shall not constitute deposited securities held under the applicable deposit
agreement, (ii) each recipient of pre-released ADRs represents and agrees in writing with the
depositary that such recipient or its customer (a) beneficially owns such preferred shares or
common shares, (b) assigns all beneficial right, title and interest therein to the depositary, (c)
holds such preferred shares or common shares for the account of the depositary and (d) will deliver
such preferred shares or common shares to the custodian as soon as practicable and promptly upon
demand therefor and (iii) all pre-released ADRs evidence not more than 20% of all ADSs (excluding
those evidenced by pre-released ADRs). The depositary may retain for its own account any
compensation received by it in conjunction with the foregoing. Collateral provided pursuant to (b)
above, but not the earnings thereon, shall be held for the benefit of the registered holders of
ADRs (other than the applicant).
Appointment
In each deposit agreement, each registered holder of ADRs and each person holding an interest
in ADSs, upon acceptance of any ADSs (or any interest therein) issued in accordance with the terms
and conditions of the deposit agreement will be deemed for all purposes to:
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be a party to and bound by the terms of the deposit agreement and the applicable ADR
or ADRs, and |
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appoint the depositary its attorney-in-fact, with full power to delegate, to act on
its behalf and to take any and all actions contemplated in the deposit agreement and the
applicable ADR or ADRs, to adopt any and all procedures necessary to comply with
applicable laws and to take such action as the depositary may deem necessary or
appropriate to carry out the purposes of the deposit agreement and the applicable ADR
and ADRs, the taking of such actions to be the conclusive determinant of the necessity
and appropriateness thereof. |
Governing Law
Each deposit agreement and the ADRs issued thereunder shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York. In each deposit agreement, we have submitted to
the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York and appointed an agent for service of
process on our behalf.
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FORM OF SECURITIES, CLEARING AND SETTLEMENT
Global Securities
Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the following information
relates to the form, clearing and settlement of U.S. dollar-denominated debt securities.
We will issue the securities in global form, without interest coupons. Securities issued in
global form will be represented, at least initially, by one or more global debt securities. Upon
issuance, global securities will be deposited with the trustee as custodian for The Depository
Trust Company, known as DTC, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC.
Ownership of beneficial interests in each global security will be limited to persons who have
accounts with DTC, whom we refer to as DTC participants, or persons who hold interests through DTC
participants. We expect that, under procedures established by DTC, ownership of beneficial
interests in each global security will be shown on, and transfer of ownership of those interests
will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to interests of DTC
participants) and the records of DTC participants (with respect to other owners of beneficial
interests in the global securities).
Beneficial interests in the global securities may be credited within DTC to Euroclear Bank
S.A./N.V. and Clearstream, Luxembourg Banking, société anonyme on behalf of the owners of such
interests. We refer to Euroclear S.A./N.V. and Clearstream, Luxembourg Banking, société anonyme as
Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg, respectively.
Investors may hold their interests in the global securities directly through DTC, Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg, if they are participants in those systems, or indirectly through
organizations that are participants in those systems.
Beneficial interests in the global securities may not be exchanged for securities in physical,
certificated form except in the limited circumstances described below.
Book-Entry Procedures for Global Securities
Interests in the global securities will be subject to the operations and procedures of DTC,
Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg. We provide the following summaries of those operations and
procedures solely for the convenience of investors. The operations and procedures of each
settlement system are controlled by that settlement system and may be changed at any time. We are
not responsible for those operations or procedures.
DTC has advised that it is:
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a limited purpose trust company organized under the New York State Banking Law; |
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a banking organization within the meaning of the New York State Banking Law; |
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a member of the U.S. Federal Reserve System; |
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a clearing corporation within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code;
and |
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a clearing agency registered under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934. |
DTC was created to hold securities for its participants and to facilitate the clearance and
settlement of securities transactions between its participants through electronic book-entry
changes to the accounts of its participants. DTCs participants include securities brokers and
dealers; banks and trust companies; clearing corporations; and certain other organizations.
Indirect access to DTCs system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and
trust companies; these indirect participants clear through or maintain a custodial relationship
with a DTC participant, either directly or indirectly. Investors who are not DTC participants may
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beneficially own securities held by or on behalf of DTC only through DTC participants or
indirect participants in DTC.
So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of a global security, DTC or its nominee
will be considered the sole owner or holder of the securities represented by that global security
for all purposes under the indenture. Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in
a global security:
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will not be entitled to have securities represented by the global security registered
in their names; |
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will not receive or be entitled to receive physical, certificated securities; and |
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will not be considered the registered owners or holders of the securities under the
indenture for any purpose, including with respect to the giving of any direction,
instruction or approval to the trustee under the indenture. |
As a result, each investor who owns a beneficial interest in a global security must rely on
the procedures of DTC to exercise any rights of a holder of securities under the indenture (and, if
the investor is not a participant or an indirect participant in DTC, on the procedures of the DTC
participant through which the investor owns its interest).
Payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest with respect to the securities
represented by a global security will be made by the trustee to DTCs nominee as the registered
holder of the global security. Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or
liability for the payment of amounts to owners of beneficial interests in a global security, for
any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of those interests by DTC, or for
maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records of DTC relating to those interests.
Payments by participants and indirect participants in DTC to the owners of beneficial
interests in a global security will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices
and will be the responsibility of those participants or indirect participants and not of DTC, its
nominee or us.
Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected under DTCs procedures and will be
settled in same-day funds. Transfers between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg
will be effected in the ordinary way under the rules and operating procedures of those systems.
Cross-market transfers between DTC participants, on the one hand, and Euroclear or
Clearstream, Luxembourg participants, on the other hand, will be effected within DTC through the
DTC participants that are acting as depositaries for Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg. To
deliver or receive an interest in a global security held in a Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg
account, an investor must send transfer instructions to Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg, as
the case may be, under the rules and procedures of that system and within the established deadlines
of that system. If the transaction meets its settlement requirements, Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg, as the case may be, will send instructions to its DTC depositary to take action to
effect final settlement by delivering or receiving interests in the relevant global securities in
DTC, and making or receiving payment under normal procedures for same-day funds settlement
applicable to DTC. Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg participants may not deliver instructions
directly to the DTC depositaries that are acting for Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg.
Because of time zone differences, the securities account of a Euroclear or Clearstream,
Luxembourg participant that purchases an interest in a global security from a DTC participant will
be credited on the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg immediately following the
DTC settlement date. Cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg from the sale of an
interest in a global security to a DTC participant will be received with value on the DTC
settlement date but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg cash
account as of the business day for Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg following the DTC
settlement date.
DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, Luxembourg have agreed to the above procedures to facilitate
transfers of interests in the global securities among participants in those settlement systems.
However, the settlement systems
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are not obligated to perform these procedures and may discontinue or change these procedures
at any time. Neither we nor the trustee have any responsibility for the performance by DTC,
Euroclear or Clearstream, Luxembourg or their participants or indirect participants of their
obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.
Certificated Securities
Beneficial interests in the global securities may not be exchanged for securities in physical,
certificated form unless:
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DTC notifies us at any time that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary
for the global securities and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days; |
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DTC ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days; |
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we, at our option, notify the trustee that we elect to cause the issuance of
certificated securities; or |
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certain other events provided in the indenture should occur, including the occurrence
and continuance of an event of default with respect to the securities. |
In all cases, certificated securities delivered in exchange for any global security will be
registered in the names, and issued in any approved denominations, requested by the depository.
For information concerning paying agents for any securities in certificated form, see
Description of Debt SecuritiesPayment ProvisionsPaying Agents.
Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear
Clearstream, Luxembourg has advised that: it is a duly licensed bank organized as a société
anonyme incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg and is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg
Commission for the supervision of the financial sector (Commission de surveillance du secteur
financier); it holds securities for its customers and facilitates the clearance and settlement of
securities transactions among them, and does so through electronic book-entry transfers between the
accounts of its customers, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates; it
provides other services to its customers, including safekeeping, administration, clearance and
settlement of internationally traded securities and lending and borrowing of securities; it
interfaces with the domestic markets in over 30 countries through established depositary and
custodial relationships; its customers include worldwide securities brokers and dealers, banks,
trust companies and clearing corporations and may include certain other professional financial
intermediaries; its U.S. customers are limited to securities brokers and dealers and banks; and
indirect access to the Clearstream, Luxembourg system is also available to others that clear
through Clearstream, Luxembourg customers or that have custodial relationships with its customers,
such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies.
Euroclear has advised that: it is incorporated under the laws of Belgium as a bank and is
subject to regulation by the Belgian Banking and Finance Commission (Commission Bancaire et
Financiére) and the National Bank of Belgium (Banque Nationale de Belgique); it holds securities
for its participants and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among
them; it does so through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against payments, thereby
eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates; it provides other services to its
participants, including credit, custody, lending and borrowing of securities and tri-party
collateral management; it interfaces with the domestic markets of several countries; its customers
include banks, including central banks, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and
clearing corporations and certain other professional financial intermediaries; indirect access to
the Euroclear system is also available to others that clear through Euroclear customers or that
have custodial relationships with Euroclear customers; and all securities in Euroclear are held on
a fungible basis, which means that specific certificates are not matched to specific securities
clearance accounts.
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Clearance and Settlement Procedures
We understand that investors that hold their debt securities through Clearstream, Luxembourg
or Euroclear accounts will follow the settlement procedures that are applicable to securities in
registered form. Debt securities will be credited to the securities custody accounts of
Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear participants on the business day following the settlement
date for value on the settlement date. They will be credited either free of payment or against
payment for value on the settlement date.
We understand that secondary market trading between Clearstream, Luxembourg and/or Euroclear
participants will occur in the ordinary way following the applicable rules and operating procedures
of Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear. Secondary market trading will be settled using
procedures applicable to securities in registered form.
You should be aware that investors will only he able to make and receive deliveries, payments
and other communications involving the debt securities through Clearstream, Luxembourg and
Euroclear on business days. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers
and other institutions are open for business in the United States or Brazil.
In addition, because of time-zone differences, there may be problems with completing
transactions involving Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear on the same business day as in the
United States or Brazil. U.S. and Brazilian investors who wish to transfer their interests in the
debt securities, or to make or receive a payment or delivery of the debt securities on a particular
day may find that the transactions will not be performed until the next business day in Luxembourg
or Brussels, depending on whether Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear is used.
Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear will credit payments to the cash accounts of participants
in Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear in accordance with the relevant systemic rules and
procedures, to the extent received by its depositary. Clearstream, Luxembourg or the Euroclear, as
the case may be, will take any other action permitted to be taken by a holder under the indenture
on behalf of a Clearstream, Luxembourg or Euroclear participant only in accordance with its
relevant rules and procedures.
Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear have agreed to the foregoing procedures in order to
facilitate transfers of the debt securities among participants of Clearstream, Luxembourg and
Euroclear. However, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform those
procedures, and they may discontinue those procedures at any time.
Same-Day Settlement and Payment
The underwriters will settle the debt securities in immediately available funds. We will make
all payments of principal and interest on the debt securities in immediately available funds.
Secondary market trading between participants in Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear will occur
in accordance with the applicable rules and operating procedures of Clearstream, Luxembourg and
Euroclear and will be settled using the procedures applicable to securities in immediately
available funds. See Clearstream, Luxembourg and Euroclear above.
Certificated Debt Securities
We will issue debt securities to you in certificated registered form only if:
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the depositary is no longer willing or able to discharge its responsibilities
properly, and neither the trustee nor we have appointed a qualified successor within 90
days; or |
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we, at our option, notify the trustee that we elect to cause the issuance of
certificated debt securities; or |
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certain other events provided in the indenture should occur, including the occurrence
and continuance of an event of default with respect to the debt securities. |
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If any of these three events occurs, the trustee will reissue the debt securities in fully
certificated registered form and will recognize the registered holders of the certificated debt
securities as holders under the indenture.
In the event that we issue certificated securities under the limited circumstances described
above, then holders of certificated securities may transfer their debt securities in whole or in
part upon the surrender of the certificate to be transferred, together with a completed and
executed assignment form endorsed on the definitive debt security, at the offices of the transfer
agent in New York City. Copies of this assignment form may be obtained at the offices of the
transfer agent in New York City. Each time that we transfer or exchange a new debt security in
certificated form for another debt security in certificated form, and after the transfer agent
receives a completed assignment form, we will make available for delivery the new definitive debt
security at the offices of the transfer agent in New York City. Alternatively, at the option of
the person requesting the transfer or exchange, we will mail, at that persons risk, the new
definitive debt security to the address of that person that is specified in the assignment form.
In addition, if we issue debt securities in certificated form, then we will make payments of
principal of, interest on and any other amounts payable under the debt securities to holders in
whose names the debt securities in certificated form are registered at the close of business on the
record date for these payments. If the debt securities are issued in certificated form, we will
make payments of principal and any redemption payments against the surrender of these certificated
debt securities at the offices of the paying agent in New York City.
Unless and until we issue the debt securities in fully-certificated, registered form,
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you will not be entitled to receive a certificate representing our interest in the
debt securities; |
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all references in this prospectus supplement or in the accompanying prospectus to
actions by holders will refer to actions taken by a depositary upon instructions from
their direct participants; and |
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all references in this prospectus supplement or in the accompanying prospectus to
payments and notices to holders will refer to payments and notices to the depositary as
the registered holder of the debt securities, for distribution to you in accordance with
its policies and procedures. |
45
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
At the time of offering any securities, we will supplement the following summary of the plan
of distribution with a description of the offering, including the particular terms and conditions
thereof, set forth in a prospectus supplement relating to those securities.
Each prospectus supplement with respect to a series of securities will set forth the terms of
the offering of those securities, including the name or names of any underwriters or agents, the
price of such securities and the net proceeds to us from such sale, any underwriting discounts,
commissions or other items constituting underwriters or agents compensation, any discount or
concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers and any securities exchanges on which those
securities may be listed.
We may sell the securities from time to time in their initial offering as follows:
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through agents; |
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to dealers or underwriters for resale; |
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directly to purchasers; or |
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through a combination of any of these methods of sale. |
In addition, we may issue the securities as a dividend or distribution or in a subscription
rights offering to our existing security holders. In some cases, we or dealers acting with us or on
our behalf may also purchase securities and reoffer them to the public by one or more of the
methods described above. This prospectus may be used in connection with any offering of our
securities through any of these methods or other methods described in the applicable prospectus
supplement.
The securities we distribute by any of these methods may be sold to the public, in one or more
transactions, either:
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at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed; |
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at market prices prevailing at the time of sale; |
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at prices related to prevailing market prices; or |
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at negotiated prices. |
We may solicit offers to purchase securities directly from the public from time to time. We
may also designate agents from time to time to solicit offers to purchase securities from the
public on our behalf. The prospectus supplement relating to any particular offering of securities
will name any agents designated to solicit offers, and will include information about any
commissions we may pay the agents, in that offering. Agents may be deemed to be underwriters as
that term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933.
From time to time, we may sell securities to one or more dealers acting as principals. The
dealers, who may be deemed to be underwriters as that term is defined in the Securities Act of
1933, may then resell those securities to the public.
We may sell securities from time to time to one or more underwriters, who would purchase the
securities as principal for resale to the public, either on a firm-commitment or best-efforts
basis. If we sell securities to underwriters, we may execute an underwriting agreement with them at
the time of sale and will name them in the applicable prospectus supplement. In connection with
those sales, underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation from us in the form of
underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of the
securities for whom they may act as agents. Underwriters may resell the securities to or
46
through dealers, and those dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts,
concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions from purchasers for whom they
may act as agents. The applicable prospectus supplement will include any required information about
underwriting compensation we pay to underwriters, and any discounts, concessions or commissions
underwriters allow to participating dealers, in connection with an offering of securities.
If we offer securities in a subscription rights offering to our existing security holders, we
may enter into a standby underwriting agreement with dealers, acting as standby underwriters. We
may pay the standby underwriters a commitment fee for the securities they commit to purchase on a
standby basis. If we do not enter into a standby underwriting arrangement, we may retain a
dealer-manager to manage a subscription rights offering for us.
We may authorize underwriters, dealers and agents to solicit from third parties offers to
purchase securities under contracts providing for payment and delivery on future dates. The
applicable prospectus supplement will describe the material terms of these contracts, including any
conditions to the purchasers obligations, and will include any required information about
commissions we may pay for soliciting these contracts.
Underwriters, dealers, agents and other persons may be entitled, under agreements that they
may enter into with us, to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities
under the Securities Act of 1933.
Each series of securities will be a new issue, and there will be no established trading market
for any security prior to its original issue date. We may not list any particular series of
securities on a securities exchange or quotation system. No assurance can be given as to the
liquidity or trading market for any of the securities.
EXPENSES OF THE ISSUE
The following is a statement of expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions,
in connection with the distribution of the securities registered. All amounts shown are
estimates.
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Amount to be paid |
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Legal Fees and Expenses |
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$ |
200,000 |
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Accounting Fees and Expenses |
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80,000 |
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Printing and Engraving Expenses |
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15,000 |
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Miscellaneous |
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20,000 |
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Total |
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$ |
315,000 |
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47
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Petrobras (and its subsidiaries) and PifCo (and its
subsidiaries) as of and for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, and managements
assessments of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31,
2008, appearing in the combined Petrobras and PifCo Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2008, have been audited by KPMG Auditores Independentes, an independent registered
public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon included therein and incorporated
herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated herein by reference in
reliance upon such reports given on the authority KPMG Auditores Independentes as experts in
accounting and auditing.
The unaudited consolidated financial information of Petrobras (and its subsidiaries) and PifCo
(and its subsidiaries) as of and for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2009 and 2008,
incorporated by reference herein, were reviewed by KPMG Auditores Independentes. KPMG Auditores
Independentes has reported that it has applied limited procedures in accordance with professional
standards for a review of such information. However, its reports included in the Petrobras Form 6-K
furnished to the SEC on November 27, 2009, and PifCo Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on November 27,
2009, and incorporated by reference herein, state that it did not audit and does not express an
opinion on that interim financial information. Accordingly, the degree of reliance on such
information should be restricted in light of the limited nature of the review procedures applied.
KPMG Auditores Independentes is not subject to the liability provisions of Section 11 of the
Securities Act of 1933 for its reports on the unaudited interim financial information because those
reports are not reports or a part of the registration statement prepared or certified by the
accountants within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.
The summary reports of DeGolyer and MacNaughton, independent petroleum engineering
consultants, which are referenced in this prospectus, have been referenced in this prospectus in
reliance upon the authority of the firm as experts in estimating proved oil and gas reserves.
VALIDITY OF SECURITIES
Mr. Nilton de Almeida Maia, Petrobras general counsel, will pass upon the validity of the
debt securities, warrants, preferred shares, common shares, mandatory convertible securities and
guaranties for Petrobras as to certain matters of Brazilian law. Walkers, special Cayman Islands
counsel to PifCo, will pass upon the validity of the debt securities and debt warrants issued by
PifCo as to certain matters of Cayman Islands law. The validity of the debt securities,
warrants, guaranties and mandatory convertible securities will be passed upon by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP or any other law firm named in
the applicable prospectus supplement as to certain matters of New York law.
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES
Petrobras
Petrobras is a sociedade de economia mista (mixed-capital company), a public sector company
with some private sector ownership, established under the laws of Brazil. All of its executive
officers and directors and certain advisors named herein reside in Brazil. In addition,
substantially all of its assets and those of its executive officers, directors and certain advisors
named herein are located in Brazil. As a result, it may not be possible for investors to effect
service of process upon Petrobras or its executive officers, directors and advisors named herein
within the United States or other jurisdictions outside Brazil or to enforce against Petrobras or
its executive officers, directors and advisers named herein judgments obtained in the United States
or other jurisdictions outside Brazil.
Mr. Nilton de Almeida Maia, Petrobras general counsel, has advised Petrobras that, subject to
the requirements described below, judgments of United States courts for civil liabilities based
upon the United States federal securities laws may be enforced in Brazil. A judgment against
Petrobras or the other persons described above obtained outside Brazil would be enforceable in
Brazil, without reconsideration of the merits, only if the judgment satisfies certain requirements
and receives confirmation from the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice (Superior Tribunal de
Justiça). The foreign judgment will only be confirmed if:
48
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it fulfills all formalities required for its enforceability under the laws of the
country where the foreign judgment is granted; |
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it is for the payment of a sum certain of money; |
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it was issued by a competent court in the jurisdiction where the judgment was awarded
after service of process was properly made in accordance with applicable law; |
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it is not subject to appeal; |
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it is authenticated by a Brazilian consular office in the country where it was
issued, and is accompanied by a sworn translation into Portuguese; and |
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it is not contrary to Brazilian national sovereignty, public policy or good morals. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no assurance can be given that such confirmation would be
obtained, that the process described above could be conducted in a timely manner or that a
Brazilian court would enforce a monetary judgment for violation of the U.S. securities laws with
respect to any securities issued by Petrobras.
Mr. Nilton de Almeida Maia has also advised Petrobras that:
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original actions based on the U.S. federal securities laws may be brought in
Brazilian courts and that, subject to Brazilian public policy and national sovereignty,
Brazilian courts may enforce liabilities in such actions against Petrobras, certain of
its directors and officers and the advisors named herein; |
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if an investor resides outside Brazil and owns no real property in Brazil, he or she
must provide a bond sufficient to guarantee court costs and legal fees, including the
defendants attorneys fees, as determined by the Brazilian court, in connection with
litigation in Brazil, except in the case of the enforcement of a foreign judgment which
has been confirmed by the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice; |
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Brazilian law limits an investors ability as a judgment creditor of Petrobras to
satisfy a judgment against Petrobras by attaching certain of its assets; |
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a new law has been enacted in Brazil to regulate judicial and extrajudicial
reorganization and liquidation of business companies. Such law revoked the previous
Brazilian Bankruptcy law. The new law is not applicable to mixed capital companies,
such as Petrobras, and does not provide whether the federal government of Brazil is
liable for Petrobras obligations in the event of bankruptcy; |
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Brazilian law limits an investors ability as a judgment creditor of Petrobras to
satisfy a judgment against Petrobras by attaching certain of its assets; |
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according to recent changes to the Brazilian Corporate Law, mixed-capital companies
such as Petrobras, are no longer protected from bankruptcy proceedings and its
controlling shareholder, the federal government of Brazil, is no longer contingently
liable for Petrobras obligations; and |
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certain of Petrobras exploration and production assets may be subject to reversion
to the Brazilian government under Petrobras concession agreements. Such assets, under
certain circumstances, may not be subject to attachment or execution. |
PifCo
PifCo is duly incorporated as an exempted limited liability company under the laws of the
Cayman Islands. All of the directors and officers of PifCo reside in Brazil. All or a substantial
portion of the assets of PifCo and of such directors and officers are located outside of the United
States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to
49
effect service of process within the United States upon PifCo or such persons or to enforce,
in the United States courts, judgment against PifCo or such persons or judgments obtained in such
courts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the federal securities laws of the United
States.
PifCo has been advised by its Cayman Islands counsel, Walkers, that although there is no
statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in New York, a judgment obtained
in a foreign court (other than certain judgments of a superior court of any state of the
Commonwealth of Australia) will be recognised and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands
without any re-examination of the merits at common law, by an action commenced on the foreign
judgment in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, where the judgment (i) is final and conclusive;
(ii) is one in respect of which the foreign court had jurisdiction over the defendant according to
Cayman Islands conflict of law rules; (iii) is either for a liquidated sum not in respect of
penalties or taxes or a fine or similar fiscal or revenue obligations or, in certain circumstances,
for in personam non-money relief; and (iv) was neither obtained in a manner, nor is of a kind
enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands.
There is doubt, however, as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands will (i) recognize or
enforce judgments of United states courts predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the
securities laws of the United States or any state thereof, or (ii) in original actions brought in
the Cayman Islands, impose liabilities upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws
of the United states or any state thereof, on the grounds that such provisions are penal in nature.
A Cayman Islands court may stay proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought
elsewhere.
50
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed a registration statement with the SEC on Form F-3 under the Securities Act of
1933 relating to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which is a part of
that registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration
statement. For more information with respect to our company and the securities offered by this
prospectus, you should refer to the registration statement and to the exhibits filed with it.
Statements contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus regarding the contents of any
contract or other document are not necessarily complete, and, where the contract or other document
is an exhibit to the registration statement or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference, each of these statements is qualified in all respects by the provisions of the actual
contract or other document.
We are subject to the information requirements of the United States Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, applicable to a foreign private issuer, and accordingly file
or furnish reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F, reports on Form 6-K, and other
information with the SEC. You may read and copy any materials filed with the SEC at its Public
Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may obtain information on the
operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Any filings we make
electronically will be available to the public over the Internet at the SECs web site at
www.sec.gov. These reports and other information may also be inspected and copied at the offices
of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, New York 10005.
Preferred shares and common shares of Petrobras, each represented by ADSs, are listed on the
New York Stock Exchange under the symbols PBRA and PBR, respectively. Additional information
concerning us and our securities may be available through the New York Stock Exchange.
51
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference the information we file with it, which means
that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The
information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus, and certain
later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede earlier
information filed with the SEC or included in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement. We
incorporate by reference the following documents:
PifCo
(1) The combined Petrobras and PifCo Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2008, filed with the SEC on May 22, 2009.
(2) The PifCo Report on Form 6-K containing financial information for the nine-month
period ended September 30, 2009, prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, furnished to the SEC
on November 27, 2009.
(3) Any future filings of PifCo on Form 20-F made with the SEC after the date of this
prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the securities offered by this
prospectus, and any future reports of PifCo on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC during that
period that are identified in those forms as being incorporated into this prospectus.
Petrobras
(1) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to Petrobras Business Plan for
20092013, furnished to the SEC on January 26, 2009.
(2) The combined Petrobras and PifCo Annual Report on Form 20-F for the year ended
December 31, 2008, filed with the SEC on May 22, 2009.
(3) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to the downgrade by Standard & Poors of
Petrobras and PifCos debt ratings, furnished to the SEC on June 11, 2009.
(4) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to the approval by Petrobras board of
directors of an interest-on-own-capital payment to shareholders in the amount of R$2.6
billion, furnished to the SEC on June 26, 2009.
(5) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to Petrobras R$25 billion loan from the
Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES), the Brazilian National
Development Bank, furnished to the SEC on July 31, 2009.
(6) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to the approval by Petrobras board of
directors of an interest-on-own-capital payment to shareholders, furnished to the SEC on
August 11, 2009.
(7) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to an increase in planned investments in
the Abreu e Lima Refinery, furnished to the SEC on August 27, 2009.
(8) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K outlining the new exploration and production
regulatory model for the pre-salt layer and in potentially strategic areas, furnished to the
SEC on August 31, 2009.
(9) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to a new discovery in the central region
of the Gulf of Mexico, furnished to the SEC on September 2, 2009.
52
(10) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to Petrobras strategy for the
construction of drilling rigs in Brazil, furnished to the SEC on September 14, 2009.
(11) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to new discoveries in the Santos Basin
Pre-Salt concession area, furnished to the SEC on September 15, 2009.
(12) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to the approval by Petrobras board of
directors of an interest-on-own-capital payment to shareholders in the amount of R$1.76
million, furnished to the SEC on September 22 2009.
(13) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to the settlement of a dispute with the
National Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Agency (ANP) for payment of special
government participation taxes on the Marlim field, furnished to the SEC on October 26,
2009.
(14) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to the signing of a U.S.$10 billion
10-year loan agreement with the China Development Bank, and a petroleum export agreement
with a subsidiary of China Petro-Chemical Corp (Sinopec), furnished to the SEC on November
4, 2009.
(15) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to clarifications on the proposed
capitalization and transfer of rights to explore and produce oil and natural gas in the
pre-salt areas under discussion in the Brazilian Congress, furnished to the SEC on November
20, 2009.
(16) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K relating to the payment of shareholder dividends
for the 2009 fiscal year, furnished to the SEC on November 25, 2009.
(17) The Petrobras Reports on Form 6-K containing financial information for the
nine-month period ended September 30, 2009, prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, furnished
to the SEC on November 27, 2009.
(18) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K/A relating to the authorization granted by the
ANP to Petrobras for drilling in the Santos Basin pre-salt area to establish reserves for
the proposed transfer of oil and natural gas exploration and production rights, furnished to
the SEC on December 2, 2009.
(19) The Petrobras Report on Form 6-K related to the execution of contracts for the
construction of the Abreu and Lima Refinery in the total amount of R$8.9 billion, furnished
to the SEC on December 3, 2009.
(20) Any future filings of Petrobras on Form 20-F made with the SEC after the date of
this prospectus and prior to the termination of the offering of the securities offered by
this prospectus, and any future reports of Petrobras on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC during
that period that are identified in those forms as being incorporated into this prospectus.
We will provide without charge to any person to whom a copy of this prospectus is delivered,
upon the written or oral request of any such person, a copy of any or all of the documents
referred to above which have been or may be incorporated herein by reference, other than
exhibits to such documents (unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference
in such documents). Requests should be directed to Petrobras Investor Relations Department
located at Avenida República do Chile, 65 22nd Floor, 20031-912Rio de Janeiro, RJ,
Brazil (telephone: 55-21-3224-1510).
53
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
Article 23, Section 1 of Petrobras by-laws requires it to defend its senior management in
administrative and legal proceedings and maintain insurance coverage to protect senior management
from liability arising from the performance of the senior managers functions. Petrobras maintains
an insurance policy covering losses and expenses arising from
management actions taken by the directors and officers of
Petrobras and its subsidiaries, including PifCo, in their capacity as such.
Article 131 of PifCos Memorandum and Articles of Association requires it to indemnify its
directors and officers out of its assets and funds against all actions, proceedings, costs,
charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities which they incur or sustain in or regarding the
conduct of PifCos business or affairs in the execution or discharge of their respective duties,
powers, authorities or discretions. Under Article 132 of PifCos Memorandum and Articles of
Association, PifCos directors and officers are excused from all liability to PifCo except for any
losses arising as a result of such partys own dishonesty.
Item 9. Exhibits.
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Exhibit |
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Number |
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Description |
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1.1
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Form of Underwriting Agreement for Debt Securities. |
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1.2
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Form of Underwriting Agreement for Warrants. |
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1.3
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Form of Underwriting Agreement for Preferred Shares, Common Shares and Mandatory Convertible
Securities. |
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4.1
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Form of Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement, dated as of January 2007, among Petrobras,
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary, and registered holders and beneficial owners from time
to time of the American depositary shares, representing the common shares of Petrobras (previously
filed as Exhibit (a)(1) of Petrobras Registration Statement on Form F-6 as filed with the SEC on
December 26, 2006 and incorporated by reference herein). |
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4.2
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Amendment No. 1, dated as of June 2007, to the Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement, dated as of
January 2, 2007, among Petrobras, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary, and registered holders
and beneficial owners from time to time of the American depositary shares, representing the common
shares of Petrobras (previously filed as Exhibit (a)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Petrobras Registration Statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-139669) as filed with the SEC on June
22, 2007, and incorporated by reference herein). |
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4.3
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Form of American depositary receipt evidencing American depositary shares representing the common
shares of Petrobras (previously filed as Exhibit (a)(3) of Petrobras Registration Statement on
Form F-6 as filed with the SEC on April 8, 2008, and incorporated by reference herein). |
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4.4
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Form of Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement, dated as of January 2007, among Petrobras,
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary, and registered holders and beneficial owners from time
to time of the American depositary shares, representing the preferred shares of Petrobras
(previously filed as Exhibit (a)(1) of Petrobras Registration Statement on Form F-6 as filed with
the SEC on December 26, 2006 and incorporated by reference herein). |
II-1
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Exhibit |
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Number |
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Description |
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4.5
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Amendment No. 1, dated as of June 2007, to the Amended and Restated Deposit Agreement, dated as of
January 2, 2007, among Petrobras, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as depositary, and registered holders
and beneficial owners from time to time of the American depositary shares, representing the
preferred shares of Petrobras (previously filed as Exhibit (a)(2) of Post-Effective Amendment No.
1 to Petrobras Registration Statement on Form F-6 (File No. 333-139668) as filed with the SEC on
June 22, 2007, and incorporated by reference herein). |
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4.6
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Form of American depositary receipt evidencing American depositary shares representing the
preferred shares of Petrobras (previously filed as Exhibit (a)(3) of Petrobras Registration
Statement on Form F-6 as filed with the SEC on April 8, 2008, and incorporated by reference
herein). |
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4.7
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Indenture, dated as of December 15, 2006, between Petrobras and The Bank of New York Mellon as
Trustee. |
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4.8
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Indenture, dated as of December 15, 2006, between PifCo and The Bank of New York Mellon as Trustee. |
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4.9
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Form of Debt Security (included in Exhibits 4.7 and 4.8). |
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4.10
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Form of Mandatory Convertible Security. |
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4.11
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Form of Debt Warrant Agreement between Petrobras and the Debt Warrant Agent, including a form of
Debt Warrant Certificate. |
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4.12
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Form of Equity Warrant Agreement between Petrobras and the Equity Warrant Agent, including a form
of Equity Warrant Certificate. |
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4.13
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Form of Debt Warrant Agreement between PifCo and the Warrant Agent, including a Debt Warrant
Certificate. |
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4.14
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Form of Petrobras Guaranty (included in Exhibit 4.8). |
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5.1
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Opinion of Mr. Nilton de Almeida Maia, Petrobras general counsel, with respect to the validity of
the debt securities, warrants, preferred shares, common shares, mandatory convertible securities
and guaranties. |
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5.2
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Opinion of Walkers, with respect to the validity of the debt securities and debt warrants of PifCo. |
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5.3
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Opinion of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, with respect to the validity of the debt
securities, warrants, guaranties and mandatory convertible securities. |
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15.1
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Letter of KPMG Auditores Independentes concerning unaudited interim financial information of
Petrobras. |
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15.2
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Letter of KPMG Auditores Independentes concerning unaudited interim financial information of PifCo. |
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23.1
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Consent of KPMG Auditores Independentes for Petrobras. |
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23.2
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Consent of KPMG Auditores Independentes for PifCo. |
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23.3
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Consent of Mr. Nilton de Almeida Maia, Petrobras general counsel (included in Exhibit 5.1). |
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23.4
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Consent of Walkers (included in Exhibit 5.2). |
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23.5
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Consent of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP (included in Exhibit 5.3). |
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23.6
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Consent of DeGolyer and MacNaughton. |
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24.1
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Power of Attorney (included in
pages II-5 to II-9 of this Registration Statement). |
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25.1
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Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of The Bank of New York
Mellon with respect to the Petrobras Indenture. |
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25.2
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Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 of The Bank of New York
Mellon with respect to the PifCo Indenture. |
II-2
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To be filed by amendment or incorporated by reference.
Petrobras and/or PifCo will file as an Exhibit to a report
on Form 6-K that is incorporated by reference into this
registration statement any related form utilized in the
future and not previously filed by means of an amendment or
incorporated by reference. |
Item 10. Undertakings.
(a) Each of the undersigned registrants hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement:
i. To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of
1933;
ii. To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set
forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or
decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered
would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of
the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with
the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price
represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the
Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective registration statement;
iii. To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such
information in the registration statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not
apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs
is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to
section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by
reference in the registration statement or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to
Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each
such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof;
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;
(4) To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial
statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a
continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3)
of the Securities Act of 1933 need not be furnished, provided, that the registrant includes in the
prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this
paragraph (a)(4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the
prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and
information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 or Item 8.A. of Form 20-F if
such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished
to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in this registration statement;
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any
purchaser:
II-3
(A) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed
to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part
of and included in the registration statement; and
(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7)
as part of the registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made
pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information
required by section (10)(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and
included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus
is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in
the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes
of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed
to be new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the
registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof; provided,
however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of
the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by
reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration
statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective
date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or
prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document
immediately prior to such effective date; and
(6) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrants under the Securities Act
of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the registrants undertake
that in a primary offering of securities of a registrant pursuant to this registration statement,
regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the
securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications,
such registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such
securities to such purchaser: (i) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the registrant
relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; (ii) any free writing
prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the registrant or used or referred
to by the registrant; (iii) the portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the
offering containing material information about the registrant or its securities provided by or on
behalf of the registrant; and (iv) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by
the registrant to the purchaser.
(b) Each of the undersigned registrants hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrants annual report pursuant
to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference
in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of each of the registrants pursuant to the
foregoing provisions, or otherwise, each of the registrants has been advised that in the opinion of
the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such
liabilities (other than the payment by a registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director,
officer or controlling person of such registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
securities being registered, such registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the
question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
II-4
SIGNATURES OF PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S.A.PETROBRAS
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.
Petrobras certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements
for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December
11, 2009.
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PETRÓLEO BRASILEIRO S.A. PETROBRAS
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By: |
/s/
Almir Guilherme Barbassa
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Name: |
Almir Guilherme Barbassa |
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Title: |
Chief Financial Officer |
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II-5
Power of Attorney
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby
constitutes and appoints Almir Guilherme Barbassa his/her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him/her and in his/her name, place
and stead, in any and all capacities, acting individually, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to the registration statement on Form F-3, and to file the
same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities
and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to
do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he/she might or could do in person, hereby
ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or any of his substitute or
substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has
been signed by the following persons in the capacities indicated
below on December 11, 2009, in
respect of Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.Petrobras.
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Signature |
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Title |
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/s/
José Sérgio Gabrielli de Azevedo
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Chief Executive Officer |
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José Sérgio Gabrielli de Azevedo |
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/s/
Almir Guilherme Barbassa
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Chief Financial Officer |
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Almir Guilherme Barbassa |
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/s/
Marcos Antonio Silva Menezes
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Chief Accounting Officer |
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Marcos Antonio Silva Menezes |
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/s/
Dilma Vana Rousseff
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Chair of the Board of Directors |
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Dilma Vana Rousseff |
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/s/
Silas Rondeau Cavalcante Silva
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Silas Rondeau Cavalcante Silva |
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/s/
Guido Mantega
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Guido Mantega |
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/s/
José Sérgio Gabrielli de Azevedo
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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José Sérgio Gabrielli de Azevedo |
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/s/
Francisco Roberto de Albuquerque
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Francisco Roberto de Albuquerque |
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/s/
Fabio Colletti Barbosa
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Fabio Colletti Barbosa |
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/s/
Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Jorge Gerdau Johannpeter |
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/s/
Luciano Galvão Coutinho
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Luciano Galvão Coutinho |
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/s/
Sergio Franklin Quintella
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Sergio Franklin Quintella |
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II-6
Signature of Authorized Representative of Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.Petrobras
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in
the United States of Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.Petrobras, has signed this registration statement in
the City of New York, State of New York, on December 11, 2009.
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Signature |
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Title |
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/s/ Theodore Marshall Helms
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Authorized Representative in the United States |
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Theodore Marshall Helms |
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II-7
SIGNATURES OF PETROBRAS INTERNATIONAL FINANCE COMPANY
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Petrobras International Finance
Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements
for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf
by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, on December 11, 2009.
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PETROBRAS INTERNATIONAL FINANCE COMPANY
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By: |
/s/ Daniel Lima de Oliveira
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Name: |
Daniel Lima de Oliveira |
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Title: |
Chief Executive Officer |
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II-8
Power of Attorney
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby
constitutes and appoints Pedro Augusto Bonésio, Neyde Lúcia Sáfadi de Abreu, Theodore Marshall
Helms, Sérvio Túlio da Rosa Tinoco, Manuel Silva and Arthur Costa da Silva and his/her true and
lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for
him/her and in his/her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, acting individually, to
sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to the registration statement on
Form F-3, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each of said
attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and
thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and
purposes as he/she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or
cause to be done by virtue thereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has
been signed by the following persons in the indicated capacities as
indicated below on December 11, 2009, in respect of Petrobras International Finance Company.
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Signature |
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Title |
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/s/
Daniel
Lima de Oliveira
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Chief Executive Officer |
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Daniel Lima de Oliveira |
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/s/
Daniel Lima de Oliveira
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Chairman of the Board of Directors |
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Daniel Lima de Oliveira |
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/s/
Marcos Antonio Silva Menezes
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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Marcos Antonio Silva Menezes |
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/s/
José Raimundo Brandão Pereira
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Member of the Board of Directors |
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José Raimundo Brandão Pereira |
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/s/ Sérvio Túlio da Rosa Tinoco
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Chief Financial Officer |
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Sérvio Túlio da Rosa Tinoco |
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/s/ Mariângela Monteiro Tizatto
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Chief Accounting Officer |
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Mariângela Monteiro Tizatto |
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/s/
Theodore
Marshall Helms
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Authorized U.S. Representative |
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Theodore Marshall Helms |
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II-9