Petrobras' incomplete recovery
Brazil's state oil company has taken major strides forward, but further progress and support from the next government are needed
A company's share price doesn't tell its whole story, but it's one way to track a firm's fortunes. Petrobras has endured a rollercoaster ride through the market—during a tumultuous decade that saw it fly high as an investor darling, collapse and more recently mount something of a comeback. At its peak in 2010, following the discovery of the massive pre-salt oilfields, Brazil's national oil company set a record with a $70bn share sale and, shortly after that, saw its market value peak at $229bn, surpassing supermajors Shell and Chevron. But Petrobras never lived up to that hype, and things got particularly ugly in early 2016 when it was hit by a perfect storm of scandal, debt and an oil-price
Also in this section
18 February 2026
With Texas LNG approaching financial close, Alaska LNG advancing towards a phased buildout and Magnolia LNG positioned for future optionality, Glenfarne CEO Brendan Duval says the coming year will demonstrate how the company’s more focused, owner-operator approach is reshaping LNG infrastructure development in the North America
18 February 2026
The global gas industry is no longer on the backfoot, hesitantly justifying the value of its product, but has greater confidence in gas remaining a core part of the global energy mix for decades
18 February 2026
With marketable supply unlikely to grow significantly and limited scope for pipeline imports, Brazil is expected to continue relying on LNG to cover supply shortfalls, Ieda Gomes, senior adviser of Brazilian thinktank FGV Energia,
tells Petroleum Economist
17 February 2026
The 25th WPC Energy Congress, taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 26–30 April 2026, will bring together leaders from the political, industrial, financial and technology sectors under the unifying theme “Pathways to an Energy Future for All”
