TN PETRÓLEO

Brazil`s federal energy company Petrobras (NYSE: PBR) is studying plans to purchase Texas-based refiner Valero Energy`s (NYSE: VLO) Aruba refinery, Petrobras international operations director Jorge Zelada told journalists.

"We will evaluate it after repairs are concluded and then submit our study to the company board," Zelada said, adding the refinery would target the US market.

Valero in the second quarter of this year expects to sell the refinery, Valero CEO Bill Klesse said in a March 2008 webcast, adding his company already had a buyer for the asset.

The refinery has throughput capacity of 275,000b/d and employs 775 staff. The refinery processes lower-cost heavy sour crude oil and can market products in the US Gulf Coast, Florida, the New York Harbor and the Caribbean.

Valero`s sales process has faced delays due to the fire that affected the refinery`s vacuum tower in January. Repairs at Aruba will not be completed until mid-April.