ENERGY ANALYTICS INSTITUTE (EAI), Author at Editores LatinPetroleum

Petrobras On Production Record In Búzios

(Petrobras, 14.Jul.2020) — Petrobras reports that the platforms installed in the Búzios field (P-74, P-75, P-76 and P-77), in the Santos Basin pre-salt, reached new production records yesterday, of 674,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) and 844,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed). The Búzios field, discovered in […]

Petrobras Concludes Renewable Diesel Tests

(Petrobras, 14.Jul.2020) — Petrobras informs that, on July 11th, it successfully concluded tests on an industrial scale for the production of renewable diesel. The tests were conducted at the Presidente Getúlio Vargas Refinery (Repar), in Araucária, Paraná, where 2 million liters of soybean oil were processed, which resulted in the […]

Petrobras Reduces Cost Of Post-salt Well Construction

(Petrobras, 14.Jul.2020) — Petrobras informs that in early July, it completed, in half the time, the construction of the 7 GLF 49H ESS offshore well, in the Golfinho field, in the Espírito Santo Basin, 100 km from Vitória. This was the first post-salt well built with the application of the […]

Suriname Elects Santokhi As President, Brunswijk As VP

(Energy Analytics Institute, 14.Jul.2020) — Suriname elected Progressive Reform Party (VHP) front man Chan Santokhi as the country’s president and Ronnie Brunswijk, leader of the General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP), as the country’s vice president. The new government will official start work on 17 July 2020, Viren Ajodhia, energy […]

Africa
Kenya

Early Oil Pilot Scheme (EOPS) Ends In Kenya

(Tullow Oil, 13.Jul.2020) — After a successful two-year period and coinciding with the Early Oil Pilot Scheme (EOPS) contract expiry period, Tullow Kenya, together with its Joint Venture Partners Total and Africa Oil confirmed the end of the EOPS contract on 2 June 2020. The scheme had successfully served its […]

New Players Help Maduro Evade Tanker Sanctions

(AP, 13.Jul.2020) — As U.S. sanctions scare away the world’s largest shippers from Venezuela‘s oil industry, new players are willing to brave the heightened risks and help keep socialist leader Nicolás Maduro afloat, according to a new report. In the first year since the Trump administration imposed crushing economic sanctions on Venezuela‘s […]

US Ups Pressure To Push Venezuela Oil Exports To 0

(Oilprice.com, 13.Jul.2020) — The United States is pressing shippers, insurers, certification organizations, and flag states registering vessels not to work with Venezuela as the Trump Administration is looking to cut off Nicolas Maduro’s regime from international oil trade, Elliott Abrams, the U.S. Administration’s special representative for Venezuela, told Reuters in […]

US Swaps Venezuelan Fuel Oil For Russian Products

(Oilprice.com, 13.Jul.2020) — The United States has been raising its imports of fuel oil from Russia over the past year and a half after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Venezuela’s exports, Reuters reported on Monday, quoting data from Refinitiv Eikon. Venezuela’s heavy crude oil is suitable to process in complex […]

New Players Emerge In Venezuela Amid Sanctions

(AP, 13.Jul.2020) — As U.S. sanctions scare away the world’s largest shippers from Venezuela’s oil industry, new players are willing to brave the heightened risks and help keep socialist leader Nicolas Maduro afloat, according to a new report. In the first year since the Trump administration imposed crushing economic sanctions […]

Bolivia To Investigate YPFB Refining Transfers

(Energy Analytics Institute, 13.Jul.2020) — Ecuador ‘s transparency unit of the hydrocarbon ministry received a complaint that dates back and relates to the management of the former YPFB Refining general manager Guillermo Achá, during the government of former president Evo Morales, alleging the subsidiary company made million dollar deposits into […]

Argentina’s YPF Announces Exchange Offering

(YPF, 13.Jul.2020) — Argentina’s state oil company YPF Sociedad Anónima announced 13 July 2020 changes to a debt exchange offering. The offering consists of the following: (i) Class XIII 8.500% fixed rate US Dollar denominated negotiable obligations redeemable with maturity in 2025 in an aggregate nominal amount of up to […]

Fitch Downgrades Suriname’s LT-FC IDR To ‘RD’

(Fitch Ratings, 13.Jul.2020) — Fitch Ratings has downgraded Suriname’s Long-Term Foreign-Currency (FC) Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘RD’ from ‘C’. KEY RATING DRIVERS The downgrade of Suriname’s LT-FC IDR to ‘RD’ and the issue rating on Suriname’s 2023 notes to ‘D’ from ‘C’ follows the agreement by commercial bondholders on […]

Suriname Elects New President Santokhi

(The New York Times, 13.Jul.2020) — Desi Bouterse has cast a long shadow over Suriname since its independence. Once a dictator, he returned as a populist, but fell in the face of the pandemic and an economic crisis. Suriname elected a new president on Monday, ending the long rule of […]

Vote Standoff Prolongs Guyana Uncertainty

(Argus, 13.Jul.2020) — Guyana’s political stalemate is prolonging uncertainty over the future management of the South American country’s fledgling oil sector, and raising the prospect of US sanctions. The declaration of the winner of the 2 March presidential and parliamentary election has once again been delayed by a standoff between […]

Ecuador Seeking New Oil-backed Loan From China

(Argus, 13.Jul.2020) — Ecuador’s austerity-minded government is in discussions with China to secure a new loan backed by oil sales. The fresh loan of at least $1.4bn would be secured by some 50mn bl of crude sales under a long-term arrangement that replicates a series of oil-backed debt contracts that […]

Petrobras On Asphalt Sale By Reduc

(Petrobras, 13.Jul.2020) — Petrobras reports that its refinery in Duque de Caxias (Reduc), located in Rio de Janeiro, reached the mark of 16,773 tons of asphalt sold in June 2020, an increase of 42.5% compared to May and 120.8% compared to the same month of the previous year. This is […]

PetroEcuador Continues With Elimination Process

(Energy Analytics Institute, 12.Jul.2020) — Technical staff with the Consortium Suez-Ecuambiente continues with previous work related to the export of hazardous waste from the Las Esmeraldas refinery, which consists of 3,000 tons of spent caustic soda, spent diethanolamine, dielectric oil with PCB’S and electrical transformers with PCBs, which remain stored […]

Recount Result: Guyana’s Only Democratic Solution

(OAS, 11.Jul.2020) — The Organization of American States (OAS) notes that the Chief Elections Officer of Guyana, in direct opposition to the instructions of the Chair of the Guyana Elections Commission, has submitted a final report which includes data compiled prior to the national recount; data which had already been […]

Petrobras On Measures In Aviation Gasoline

(Petrobras, 11.Jul.2020) — Petrobras informs that it has decided, preventively, to interrupt supplying a specific imported batch of aviation gasoline after tests carried out at its research center (Cenpes). The company identified that this batch had a different aromatic content compounds than the batches imported until then, although in accordance […]

Latin America and the Caribbean

Reliance To Load Venezuelan Oil In Fuel Swap Deal

(Sputnik, 10.Jul.2020) — India is one of the biggest buyers of Venezuelan oil in spite of US sanctions. Private Indian refiners Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy are the only buyers from India. Soon after the US imposed sanctions, the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Gas had advised the two firms […]

Ecuador seeks private investor to operate Esmeraldas refinery

(Piero Stewart, Energy Analytics Institute, 10.Jul.2020) — Ecuador’s Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR) together with state controlled EP PetroEcuador plan to define the contractual mechanism for a private investor to contribute, at their own risk and expense, to the improvement of the supply and quality of fuels […]

Exxon Restarts Drilling Off Guyana Amid Political Crisis

(Bloomberg, 10.Jul.2020) — Exxon Mobil Corp. resumed drilling in Guyana last month, underscoring its dedication to the offshore hot spot despite the oil price crash and a messy turn in local politics. Two of Exxon’s four drillships went back to work, according to data published Friday by Baker Hughes Co. […]

MERNNR Extends Offers For El Aromo And Villonaco

(Energy Analytics Institute, 10.Jul.2020) — René Ortiz, the head of Ecuador’s Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR) extended terms for the delivery of technical and economic offers — within the public selection processes for the concession for the El Aromo photovoltaic projects (200 megawatts) located in the province […]

Mubadala Set For Talks With Petrobras For Bahia Refinery

(Reuters, 10.Jul.2020) — Abu Dhabi’s investment fund Mubadala Investment Co will enter into exclusive talks with Petrobras to purchase Brazil’s second-largest refinery, the Brazilian state-owned oil company said in a securities filing on Thursday. Reuters was the first to report earlier on Thursday that Mubadala was on an inside track […]

BW Offshore Mulls Bids For Golfinho Field In Brazil

(Reuters, 10.Jul.2020) — Norway’s BW Offshore Ltd and DBO Energy are among the firms mulling a bid for Petrobras’ Golfinho oilfield cluster, two sources said, as Brazil’s state-run oil company seeks to re-spark its asset sale program in the wake of this year’s crude price crash. With average daily production […]

OAS Statement On Electoral Process In Guyana

(OAS, 10.Jul.2020) — In our most recent press statement, on 23 June 2020, the OAS encouraged the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to move forward in concluding Guyana’s electoral process, based on the results of the national recount, and in accordance with the will of the majority of the electorate. The […]

Petrobras Biocombustível To Divest Stake In Bambuí

(Petrobras, 10.Jul.2020) — Petrobras, following up on the release disclosed on 07/03/2020, informs that its wholly-owned subsidiary Petrobras Biocombustível S.A. (PBIO) signed an agreement for the sale of its 8.40% stake in the company Bambuí Bioenergia S.A. (Bambuí) to Turdus Participações S.A., which holds the other 91.60% stake in the […]

Petrobras Starts Gaspetro’s Binding Phase

(Petrobras, 10.Jul.2020) — Petrobras, following up on the press release disclosed on 15 May 2020, announces the beginning of the binding phase regarding the sale of its entire 51% stake in Petrobras Gás S.A. (Gaspetro). Qualified parties for this phase will receive a process letter with detailed instructions on the […]

Suriname Closes Oil Drilling Deal For Later This Year

(Stabroek News, 10.Jul.2020) — Having gone almost entirely unnoticed in the global oil & gas industry for decades, both Guyana and neighbouring Suriname are now claiming their respective shares of the global spotlight. With the US company ExxonMobil having begun to recover and export oil from the now well-known Stabroek […]

Reliance To Load Venezuelan Oil Under Fuel Swap Deal

(Reuters, 9.Jul.2020) — India’s Reliance will load its first cargo of Venezuelan crude in three months this week in exchange for diesel under a swap deal the parties say is permitted under the U.S. sanctions regime on the Latin American country, according to a Reliance source and a shipping document […]

Ecuador Eyes Mining Investments Of $1.3bn

(Energy Analytics Institute, 9.Jul.2020) — Ecuador envisions mining exploration investments of $1.3bn through January 2022, according to comments from the country’s Mines Vice Minister Fernando L. Benalcázar. Benalcázar’s comments came during his participation in the “Digital Latin American Mining Summit” on 9 July, Ecuador’s Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural […]

Talos Instructed To Unitize Zama Field Within 120 Days

(Talos, 9.Jul.2020) — Talos Energy Inc. announced that on 7 July 2020, that it received a notice from Mexico’s Ministry of Energy (SENER) instructing the partners of Block 7 and Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) to unitize the Zama field. Talos is the operator of Block 7 in a partnership with Wintershall […]

Petrobras On RLAM Refinery Divestment

(Petrobras, 9.Jul.2020) — Petrobras, regarding to the news published in the media, referring to the divestment of the Landulpho Alves Refinery (RLAM), clarifies that there was approval by the company’s internal bodies to start the negotiation phase of the applicable contracts and the Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala) presented the best […]

Petrobras Inks Deal For Shallow Water Field Sales

(Petrobras, 9.Jul.2020) — Petrobras signed with OP Pescada Óleo e Gás Ltda., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ouro Preto Óleo e Gás S.A., an agreement for the sale of its entire stake in the Pescada, Arabaiana, and Dentão fields located in shallow waters of the Potiguar Basin (Pescada Cluster), in the […]

Guyana Awaits New Oil Authorities

(Argus, 9.Jul.2020) — Changes are coming to the management and policy of Guyana’s fledgling oil sector, after a regional court cleared the way for declaring a victory for the opposition in a 2 March parliamentary election. In a pending declaration by the elections commission (Gecom), the People’s Progress Party (PPP) […]

Weatherford Signs Four-Year Contract with Eni S.p.A

(Weatherford, 8.Jul.2020) — Weatherford International plc has been awarded an exclusive four-year contract with Eni S.p.A. The contract will provide a minimum of 30 Non-Umbilical Downhole Deployment Valves (NU-DDV™) that will be deployed in Eni’s critical wells, improving their operational safety and reservoir performance. “This award is the result of two […]

Sener Authorizes Unification Of Zama Shared Deposit

(Energy Analytics Institute, 8.Jul.2020) — Mexico’s Energy Secretary (Sener) instructed the unification of a shared reservoir between the Zama field discovered through Contract CNH-R01-L01-A7 / 2015 by Talos Energy Offshore and Assignment AE-0152-Uchukil which is under ownership by Mexico’s state oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex). In compliance with Article 42 […]

MERNNR Works On Slowing Coca River Water Flow

(Energy Analytics Institute, 8.Jul.2020) — René Ortiz, head of Ecuador’s Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR), CELEC EP General Manager Gonzalo Uquillas Vallejo, and Ecuador’s Hydrocarbon Vice Minister María Elisa Soledispa announced construction and incorporation of emerging ramps to decrease the water flow speed of the Coca River […]

Petrobras Reports Record Bunker 2020 Output

(Petrobras, 8.Jul.2020) — Petrobras informs that the Paulínia Refinery (Replan), located in the state of São Paulo, broke the monthly production record for Bunker 2020, a low-sulfur fuel oil used on ships, for the second consecutive month. In June, the refinery reached 148 thousand m³, 20% higher than the previous […]

Renewables Key To LatAm Economic Recovery

(Reve, 8.Jul.2020) — The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) will boost ties to put the renewables driven energy transformation at the heart of Latin America and the Caribbean’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 outbreak. The efforts build on an existing Memorandum of Understanding […]

Latin America and the Caribbean

PdV Receives Diesel Cargo, Patches Gasoline Unit

(Argus, 8.Jul.2020) — PdV received a cargo of ultra-low sulfur diesel today at its Amuay terminal, close to where the Venezuelan state-owned company is running into more snags at its main refining complex. The cargo came aboard the Malta-flagged Gemma that loaded at Milazzo on 19-21 June. Italy’s Eni and […]

Petrobras To Open Tender For Brazil’s Biggest Platform

(Reuters, 8.Jul.2020) — Petrobras is preparing to launch a tender to build Brazil’s largest-ever oil platform, according to two people with knowledge of the matter, as the state-controlled oil firm pushes ahead with ambitious plans to boost deepwater production. Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the Rio de Janeiro-based producer is formally […]

Total Secures $15.8bn For Mozambique Gas Project

(Reuters, 8.Jul.2020) — French oil major Total has secured $15.8 billion in funding for its massive liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in northern Mozambique, according to South African lender FirstRand’s local unit, FNB Mozambique. Total declined to comment. In a press release published on Wednesday, FNB Mozambique said the financing […]

Colombia’s Gamble On Oil Could End In Disaster

(Oilprice.com, 8.Jul.2020) — The latest oil price collapse coupled with the considerable economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has battered Colombia’s fragile economy. As the strife-torn Latin American country emerged from decades of civil conflict and narrowly avoided becoming a failed state, it pegged future development and economic growth on […]

SolTrans Turns to AMPLY Power For Bus Charging

(Amply, 7.Jul.2020) — Bringing California closer to its goal to transition all public transit agencies to 100 percent zero-emission bus fleets by 2040, AMPLY Power is managing the charging of electric buses for SolTrans, a public transportation provider for south Solano County, California. Unique to this application, AMPLY is operating […]

Talos To Announce 2Q:20 Results, Host Conference Call

(Talos, 7.Jul.2020) — Talos Energy Inc. will release second quarter 2020 results for the period ended June 30, 2020 on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 after the U.S. financial market closes. In addition to this release, Talos Energy will host a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the internet, […]

Petrobras Decommissions P-12 Platform

(Petrobras, 7.Jul.2020) — Petrobras informs that, after approval by the National Agency for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and the Navy, it started decommissioning the P-12 platform in the Campos Basin. Decommissioning of P-07 and P-15 in the […]

Africa’s Richest Woman to Cooperate In Corruption Probe

(Bloomberg, 7.Jul.2020) — Isabel dos Santos, who is accused of causing billions of dollars in losses to the Angolan government during her father’s 38-year rule, said she is available to cooperate with authorities to clear her name and find out the truth. “What I want to resolve as quickly as […]

Cosan Claims Reorganization May Entail Capitalization

(Reuters, 7.Jul.2020) — Brazilian energy company Cosan SA said its planned reorganization may involve the capitalization of all operating units controlled and co-controlled by the group. In a securities filing on Tuesday, Cosan said the viability of the potential capitalizations of each of the units will be weighed separately and […]

Duke Energy Renewables’ Texas Solar Project Online

(Duke Energy, 7.Jul.2020) — Duke Energy Renewables, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, announced that its 200-megawatt alternating current (MWac) Holstein Solar project in Nolan County, Texas, has begun commercial operation. It is the largest solar project in Duke Energy Renewables’ fleet. “Texas is one of the fastest growing solar energy […]