Speaking of Petrobas, after watching last Sunday's episode of 60 Minutes I had to wonder how small companies such as Connacher can compete. At least gasoline prices are climbing, passed $3/gallon US here in Chicago and climbing.

OT:

Fascinating story if anyone's interested - lots of commodities exported to China ...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/12/09/60minutes/main7134185.shtml?tag=currentVideoInfo;segmentTitle

"Whatever happens in Brazil, no one will be able to blame it on a lack of money. That's because 150 miles off the coast, lie what are believed to be the largest discoveries of oil found anywhere in the world in the past 35 years.

Petrobras, the state-owned oil company, is preparing to drill 20,000 feet below the surface of the Atlantic to reach oil fields that sit underneath layers of salt beds.

Batista said, "This oil story is a trillion dollar story, right here in front of us here."

Kroft asked, "What do the offshore oil discoveries do for Brazil, what do they mean for the country's future?"

Batista said, "Oh, it, it means we should be producing in excess of six million barrels a day. So it'll put us in among the third, fourth largest producer in the world. Massive exporting."