ENERGY ANALYTICS INSTITUTE (EAI), Author at Editores LatinPetroleum

Europe

First Semi-submersible Floating Wind Farm Sets Sail

(Repsol, 28.May.2020) — The WindFloat Atlantic project is taking one of the final steps towards becoming fully operational. The last of the three pre-assembled wind turbine platforms making up the project has left the Port of Ferrol today, heading for its final destination 20 km off the coast of Portugal […]

Maduro Considers Charging Citizens More For Petrol

(Al Jazeera, 28.May.2020) — Venezuela’s president hints that he could start charging for petrol, which is usually practically free for citizens. Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday his government must begin charging more for petrol and said he had directed a team of specialists to determine what the price […]

Fitch Affirms Raizen’s IDRs At ‘BBB’; Outlook Negative

(Fitch Ratings, 28.May.2020) — Fitch Ratings has affirmed Raizen Combustiveis S.A.’s and Raizen Energia S.A.’s Long-Term Foreign and Local Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at ‘BBB’ and National Long-Term Ratings at ‘AAA(bra)’. Fitch has also affirmed the rating of Raizen Fuels Finance S.A.’s senior unsecured noted due 2027 at ‘BBB’. […]

Q&A: PdV Exile Board Has ‘Levers’ To Keep Citgo

(Argus, 28.May.2020) — Luis Pacheco is chairman of a parallel board trying to exert control over the future of Venezuela’s state-owned PdV. Appointed by the National Assembly led by opposition leader Juan Guaido, Pacheco and other key members of Guaido’s team are fighting to keep the company’s US refining arm […]

Environment Group Calls On Exxon To Cease Gas Flaring

(Stabroek News, 28.May.2020) — As ExxonMobil yesterday continued to play up its Guyana investments at its virtual Annual Meeting of shareholders, global environmental and human rights organisation, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) called on the company to heed environmental pollution warnings and immediately stop flaring gas here. Guyanese, […]

Asia

BP Licenses PTA technology To Dongying Weilian

(BP, 28.May.2020) — Weilian Chemical is a subsidiary of Dongying United Petrochemical Co., Ltd, one of the leading manufacturers and distributors of petroleum and petrochemical products in China. Weilian Chemical intends to build a 2.5 million tonnes per annum PTA production unit at the Dongying Port Economic Development Zone in […]

Petrobras To Offer Third-party Access To Gas Plants

(Argus, 28.May.2020) — Brazil’s state-controlled Petrobras is opening its natural gas-processing plants to third parties, another step toward opening the country’s gas market to greater competition. Petrobras has started offering gas-processing capacity to current producers, and will offer capacity to other interested parties in a future phase, the company said […]

Asia

Petrofac Secures Iraq Extension With Basra

(Petrofac, 28.May2020) — Petrofac’s Engineering & Production Services division (EPS) has secured a further six-month contract extension with Basra Oil Company (BOC) for its long-standing Iraq Crude Oil Export Expansion Project (ICOEEP). The confirmation of the contract extension is recognition of Petrofac’s successful seven-and-a-half-year track record of safe and efficient […]

Op-Ed: My Love Affair With Tulsa University

(Gustavo Coronel, 27.May2020) — An April morning in 1951, I left New York City for Tulsa, Oklahoma. I had been studying English for 15 weeks at Queens College before going on to The University of Tulsa to study geology. I had traveled to New York City from Los Teques, Venezuela, […]

Maduro Sends Iranian Oil To Cuba

(Panam Post, 27.May.2020) — A Cuban vessel arrived in Venezuela to allegedly provide the island gasoline that has just arrived from Iran. According to the Marine Traffic portal, this is the Petion ship, which sails under the Panamanian flag and departed from Cuba on May 21. It arrived this Monday […]

Petrobras Announces Global Bond Offering

(Petrobras, 27.May.2020) — Petrobras announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary Petrobras Global Finance B.V. (PGF) plans to offer one or more series of bonds in the U.S. market in a new emission , subject to market conditions. The bonds will be issued with full and unconditional guarantee from Petrobras. PGF intends […]

Maduro Vows To Raise Venezuelan Gasoline Price

(Reuters, 27.May.2020) — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday pledged to begin charging citizens for gasoline, as the fourth cargo of a five-tanker flotilla bringing fuel from Iran approached the South American nation’s exclusive economic zone. Iran is providing the country with up to 1.53 million barrels of gasoline and […]

Petrobras Prices Two Global Notes For $3.3bn

(Petrobras, 27.May.2020) — Petrobras announces the pricing of two series of global notes denominated in US Dollars to be issued by its wholly-owned subsidiary Petrobras Global Finance B.V. (PGF). The Notes will be unsecured obligations of PGF and will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Petrobras. Closing is expected to […]

Prelim Results: Opposition Winning Suriname Election

(AP, 27.May.2020) — Suriname’s main opposition party is poised to win the country’s general election, preliminary results showed on Wednesday, an outcome likely to end the longtime rule of President Desi Bouterse, who was convicted months earlier of ordering the murder of political opponents. Chan Santokhi’s Progressive Reform Party (VHP) […]

Chilean Power Projects And Coronavirus: Fitch

(Fitch Ratings, 27.May.2020) — The economic contraction due to the coronavirus exacerbates the negative revenue effect of the rate freeze in place on Chilean power projects with regulated power purchase agreements (PPAs), Fitch Ratings says. The pandemic and efforts to contain the virus are expected to push the country into […]

LatAm Infrastructure Projects At Risk

(Fitch Ratings, 27.May.2020) — Latin American infrastructure projects face heightened risk of grantor payment delays driven by the increased pressure the coronavirus pandemic is placing on government finances, according to a new Fitch Ratings report. “Sharper delays, depending on materiality and duration, could rapidly lessen payment capacity of projects with […]

Third Iranian Fuel Cargo Approaches Venezuela

(Reuters, 26.May.2020) — The third cargo of an Iranian tanker flotilla carrying fuel for gasoline-thirsty Venezuela was approaching the nation’s exclusive economic zone on Tuesday as the previous two were preparing to discharge, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. The Iran-flagged tanker Petunia entered the Caribbean Sea on Monday after crossing […]

Second Iranian tanker Forest reaches Venezuelan loading dock

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (Piero Stewart, Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 26.May.2020, Words: 76) — The Iranian tanker Forest docked at the Cardon refinery located in the Paraguaná Refining Complex (CRP) located in Falcón state in western Venezuela, according to details posted by RT correspondent Erika Ortega Sanoja. A total of five […]

Iranian Tanker Fortune Docks In Puerto Cabello

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 25.May.2020) — The Fortune Iranian fuel tanker reached Pier 4 of PDVSA’s El Palito Refinery located in Puerto Cabello in Carabobo state, announced Venezuela’s Economy Vice President Tareck El Aissami. The ship’s crew was welcomed by the Venezuelan official together with Iran’s Ambassador in Venezuela, […]

Iranian Tanker Fortune Reaches Venezuela Waters

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 25.May.2020) — The first of five Iranian tankers carrying gasoline and fuel additives, Fortune, has made it to Venezuela’s Exclusive Economy Zone. The five tanker are carrying an estimated 1.5 million barrels of fuel. Venezuela’s Oil Minister and Economy Vice President Tareck El Aissami, announced […]

Mexico’s Registers $3.09bn April Trade Deficit

(Market Watch, 25.May.2020) — Mexico ran up a $3.09 billion trade deficit in April as the shutdown of many industries to counter the spread of the coronavirus and the drop in world oil prices led to steep declines in both exports and imports. Exports last month fell 41% from April […]

First Iranian Tanker Reaches El Palito Refinery

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 25.May.2020) — The first of five Iranian tankers carrying gasoline and additives for making fuel from Iran to Venezuela has reached the Caribbean country’s shores. The first tanker Fortune has reached El Palito Refinery, according to a Twitter post by Venezuela’s Economy Vice President Tareck […]

Oil Minister Says Ecuador’s Production Recovering

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 25.May.2020) — Production from Ecuador’s state oil company PetroAmazonas EP and other private companies operating in the Andean country have reached 90% of levels seen prior to breakages at the SOTE and OCP. “Soon, we’ll achieve 530,000 barrels per day,” reported PetroAmazonas in a Twitter […]

Exxon Gas Could Have Been Put To Good Use – Mangal

(Stabroek News, 25.May.2020) — ExxonMobil’s flaring of over nine billion cubic feet of natural gas could have been avoided had a proposed gas-to-shore pipeline project been implemented but it was stalled because a plan to determine the best location was rejected by government officials as some wanted to handpick a […]

Bouterse Seeks Another Term In Suriname

(AP, 25.May.2020) — Few leaders have the sort of shadows that hang over Suriname’s President Dési Bouterse, a former coup leader and strongman, convicted of murder and drug smuggling, who is overseeing a dire economy. Yet the charismatic 74-year-old president stands a fair chance of holding onto power as the […]

Maduro Thanks Iran For Tanker Shipments

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 24.May.2020) — Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro announced gratitude to the Iran Republic for the shipments of gasoline and fuel additives that began to arrive to the OPEC country. “The Fortune tanker arrived in Venezuela, the first of five ships that brings gasoline and supplies to […]

New Petro-state Guyana Lifts Second Oil Cargo

(Stabroek News, 23.May.2020) — Guyana has lifted its second one-million barrel cargo of crude oil entitlement from ongoing offshore production and the oil tanker Sonangol Namibe departed these shores yesterday afternoon. The entire transfer process, from entry of the vessel into Guyana’s waters to the completion of the lift, was […]

Mexico To Remain In Opec+, No Output Cuts Planned

(Argus, 22.May.2020) — Mexico will remain within the Opec + group but has no plans for further production cuts, the energy ministry told Argus today. “Mexico will participate in the Opec + meeting in June but we do not contemplate implementing more cuts,” the ministry said. “There are no plans […]

Pemex Reiterates No Fracking Mandate

(Energy Analytics Institute, Jared Yamin, 22.May.2020) — Mexico’s state oil company Petróleos Mexicanos or Pemex announced it remains committed to not conducting fracking activities as part of its aim to protect is citizens. The state oil giant revealed the details 22 May 2020 in a Twitter post. © Energy Analytics […]

Argentina Defaults On Bonds As Debt Talks Heat Up

(Reuters, 22.May.2020) — Argentina missed payments on around $500 million in already delayed bond coupons on Friday, creditors and a ratings agency said, marking the country’s ninth sovereign default amid ongoing restructuring talks with creditors. The default on three bonds came as negotiations to revamp around $65 billion in foreign […]

PdV’s Board Of Exiles Loses Two Technocrats

(Argus, 21.May.2020) — Two members of the parallel board of Venezuela’s national oil company PdV have resigned, a development that exposes brewing frustration in the exiled technical ranks of US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido. In a letter dated and made public today, the “ad hoc” board of the state-owned company […]

Petrobras Updates On Colombian Asset Sale

(Petrobras, 21.May.2020) — Petrobras, following up on the press release disclosed on 03/06/20, informs that the non-binding phase related to the sale of 100% of the shares held by Petrobras International Braspetro B.V. (PIB BV) and other Petrobras subsidiaries, in Petrobras Colombia Combustibles (PECOCO) is underway, as described in the […]

Shell Starts Drilling Saturn Offshore Block

(Reuters, 21.May.2020) — Royal Dutch Shell has begun drilling the Saturn block in the Santos pre-salt basin, the company’s Brazil chief said on Thursday, adding that Brazil faces hurdles to remain attractive in a low-price environment. Brazil’s No. 2 oil producer after state-run Petroleo Brasileiro, Shell is the operator of […]

Petrobras Approaching Pre-Crisis Refinery Runs

(Argus, 21.May.2020) — Brazil’s state-controlled Petrobras has further boosted refinery throughput in response to a pick-up in fuel demand, with utilization rates approaching the average pre-crisis level. Petrobras downstream director Anelise Lara said this week that utilization at the company’s refineries is at 77pc, up from a mid-April low of […]

Suriname On Election’s Eve

(Nacla, 21.May.2020) — With Suriname headed to the ballots on May 25, President Bouterse may be facing his toughest election yet. Suriname is rarely in the news these days, usually only making headlines when there’s been an update in the ongoing murder trial of the country’s president, Desiré Delano Bouterse. […]

Petrobras On Parque das Baleias Production

(Petrobras, 20.May.2020) — Petrobras informs that the Parque das Baleias Area reached today the mark of 1 billion barrels of oil produced. The Parque das Baleias Area is formed by the fields of Jubarte, Baleia Anã, Cachalote, Caxaréu and Pirambú. The first field, of Jubarte, was discovered in 2001. Currently, […]

Frontera Announces Annual, Special Meeting Results

(Frontera, 20.May.2020) — Frontera Energy Corporation held its annual general and special meeting of shareholders, where each of the eight nominees proposed as directors and listed in the Company’s management proxy circular dated April 7, 2020 were elected as directors. A total of 71,009,508 common shares were voted in respect […]

Covid-19 Crisis Could Crush Brazil’s Oil Boom

(Oilprice.com, 20.May.2020) — The coronavirus is spreading like wildfire in Brazil, and the country’s oil industry could get dragged down with it. “Brazil has the worst COVID growth rate of any G20 country: the pandemic is totally out of control,” Raymond James wrote in a report, explaining its reason for […]

Colombia Eyes Intervention In Oil Pipeline Tariffs

(Reuters, 20.May.2020) — Colombia’s government could make an unprecedented intervention in oil pipeline tariffs, which private producers have criticized as too high, the president of the country’s National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) said on Wednesday. Private oil companies in the Andean country have been hit hard by falling prices amid a […]

US Seeks Ways To Halt Iran’s Oil Sales To Venezuela

(Wall Street Journal, 20.May.2020) — The Trump administration is weighing new sanctions and other legal steps to disrupt Iranian oil exports to Venezuela, U.S. officials said, in response to what the U.S. considers the Islamic Republic’s attempts to make inroads into Latin America. The possibility of new U.S. sanctions and […]

PdV Restarts Coker For Export Via Cuba

(Argus, 20.May.2020) — State-owned PdV has partially restarted a 70,000 b/d delayed coker which had been off line for over a year at its 305,000 b/d Cardon refinery, three PdV and oil union officials said. Once the coking unit operations have stabilized, PdV plans to ship the coke to Cuban […]

NOCs To Slash Exploration Budgets

(WoodMac, 20.May.2020) — National oil companies (NOCs) globally are estimated to cut exploration budgets by over a quarter on average in 2020, says Wood Mackenzie. The analysis is based on announcements and tracking well plans of 11 top spending NOC explorers, including three Chinese NOCs, PTTEP, PETRONAS, ONGC, Qatar Petroleum, […]

Argentina Props Up Oil Price At Cost To Producers

(Argus, 19.May.2020) — A new decree in Argentina that establishes above-market prices for domestic crude obliges oil companies to maintain production, payrolls and investment and prevents them from repatriating profits. The decree sets a minimum price of $45/bl for domestic sales of light sweet Medanito crude. Export taxes for crude […]

Korean Delegation Visits Vaca Muerta Formation

(Energy Analytics Institute, 19.May.2020) — Korean Ambassador Jang Myung-soo visited the Loma Campana field, where production comes from the Vaca Muerta formation, together with personnel from state controlled YPF, as well as officials from the Ministry of Energy and the Secretary of State (COPADE). The officials toured different points of […]

Petronas Farms Down 50% In Block 52 to Exxon

(Petronas, 19.May.2020) — Petronas through its subsidiary, Petronas Suriname Exploration & Production B.V. (PSEPBV), has completed the farm-down of 50 per cent of its participating interest to ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Suriname B.V. (ExxonMobil) from a 100 per cent participating interest in Block 52, offshore Suriname. Block 52 is located […]

Iran’s Oil Supply To Venezuela Eases Glut

(Argus, 19.May.2020) — Iran’s gasoline shipments to Venezuela are helping to ease a supply glut at home, where demand has collapsed because of strict measures to check the Covid-19 pandemic. The shipments and Tehran’s parallel support for Venezuelan state-owned PdV’s effort to repair its refining system have the added effect […]

SQM Reports 1Q:20 Earnings

(SQM, 19.May.2020) — Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. reported earnings today for the three months ended March 31, 2020 of US$45.0 million (US$0.17 per share), a decrease from US$80.5 million (US$0.31 per share) reported for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Gross profit reached US$107.7 million (27.5% […]

Argentina Sets Oil At $45/bbl To Shield Domestic Sector

(Reuters, 19.May.2020) — Argentina’s government set the local crude oil reference price at $45 per barrel on Tuesday in a bid to protect the country’s hard-hit sector from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and low global prices. Reuters reported in April that Argentina was planning to set a higher […]

US Court Declines To Hear Appeal In Crystallex Case

(Reuters, 18.May.2020) — The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear Venezuela’s appeal of a lower court ruling allowing Canadian gold mining company Crystallex to seize shares in U.S. refiner Citgo to collect on an unpaid arbitration award. That meant a 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling from […]

Coronavirus Amplifies LatAm Sovereigns’ Pressures

(Fitch, 18.May.2020) — LatAm sovereigns’ weak public finances make them particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus crisis, Fitch Ratings says, by limiting both their counter-cyclical policy flexibility and their ability to support post-crisis economic recoveries. The pronounced negative ratings pressures in the region stem largely from these pre-existing fiscal issues. LatAm […]