Brazil's petroleum and refined products trade deficit will reach $11.8 billion in 2012, the biggest since at least 1995, Folha said. The paper cited a report from Tendncias Consultoria, a Brazilian economic-research company.

The year 1995 is the earliest period available in the trade database maintained by Brazil's commerce and development ministry, the paper said.

Tendncias expects the petroleum and fuels deficit to rise 46 percent to $17.2 billion in 2013.

State-controlled Petrobras, Brazil's only refiner and principal oil producer, will likely record a petroleum trade deficit of $9.8 billion, 30 percent more than in 2011, Folha reported, citing Tendncias.

Brazil became a net exporter of petroleum in 2009, but government policy has helped slow oil development and undermine use of ethanol, which was, until recently, the most used fuel for passenger vehicles.

The deficits come despite the discovery of giant, new offshore oil reserves and billions in investment to develop them and expand output from exiting fields.

Brazil produced 2.45 million barrels of oil and natural gas equivalent a day (boepd) in October. About 91 percent of that was produced by Petrobras.

Center>Copyright Reuters, 2012