(Energy Analytics Institute, 1.Nov.2024) — LatAm NRG highlights, headlines and “heard on the street,” for the week ended 1 Nov. 2024. —Argentina: Citigroup downgraded Pampa Energia to neutral from buy, adjusted its price target to $75/shr v $58/shr; Citigroup also upgraded YPF to buy from neutral, adjusted its price target […]
Category: Cuba
Cuba energy
Oil Cargo from Mexico en Route to Cuba Amid Power Crisis, Data Shows
(Reuters, 28.Oct.2024) — A tanker carrying about 400,000 barrels of oil departed from Mexico’s Pajaritos port and was on Monday en route to Cuba, where an acute energy crisis has left the island struggling to keep the lights on, shipping data showed. Cuba kept schools closed and non-essential workers home […]
With Sweeping Blackouts in Cuba Why Has the Island’s Solar Buildout Been so Slow?
(AP, 23.Oct.2024) — Cuba’s large-scale blackouts that left 10 million people without power this month may not have happened if the government had built out more solar power to boost its failing electric grid as promised, some experts say. In a nation with plentiful sunshine, Cuban officials have long had […]
Mexico to Offer Monetary Assistant to Cuba Amid Blackouts
(Energy Analytics Institute, 23.Oct.2024) — Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government would offer Cuba, which is suffering from widespread blackouts, monetary assistance as well as assistance through the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE by its Spanish acronym). Sheinbaum, speaking on 23 Oct. 2024 during her daily press conference in Mexico […]
LatAm NRG Matters: Highlights, Heard
(Energy Analytics Institute, 18.Oct.2024) — LatAm NRG highlights, headlines and “heard on the street,” for the week ended 18 Oct. 2024. —Brazil: TotalEnergies will divest its fuel distribution activities in Brazil to the Brazilian co. SIM Distribuidora, the French co. said. —Cuba: Cuba’s electric co. La Unión Eléctrica, confirmed that […]
EAI’s NRGBriefs: Nov. 2023
(Energy Analytics Institute, 30.Nov.2023) — Energy briefs as well as others related to finance and projects during November 2023 including PDVSA and the French co. Maurel & Prom inking a first framework agreement; Venezuela to hold referendum related to the Essequibo disputed region between Venezuela and Guyana; Colombia’s National Hydrocarbon […]
Cuban Oil Tankers Becoming Regular Visitors to Mexican Ports
(Reuters, 10.Aug.2023) — Cuba has begun using its own tankers to ramp up crude imports from Mexico, which in the second quarter surpassed Russia as a key oil provider to the fuel-thirsty island, according to vessel monitoring data. Following days-long lines to fill drivers’ tanks and power blackouts, the communist-run nation saddled […]
Cuban Officials Return from Russia with Promises of Oil
(Reuters, 20.Jun.2023) — A delegation of high-level Cuban officials wrapped up an extended visit to Russia, according to state-run media reports on Tuesday, following up on the nearly 30 trade agreements signed between the allies in Havana in May. Longtime political allies Cuba and Russia – both subject to U.S. […]
Argentina to Send Humanitarian Aid to Cuba after Oil Fire
(Xinhua, 14.Aug.2022) — The Argentinean Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that three batches of humanitarian aid will be sent to Cuba to alleviate the severe consequences of an oil fire in the Cuban city of Matanzas. The ministry said in a statement that on Monday, the first load of aid, […]
NRGBriefs: Caribbean Monthly Economic Report June 2022
(Energy Analytics Institute, 24.Jun.2022) — Energy briefs including economic details not limited to inflation reaching 11.2% y/y in 1Q:22 in the Cayman Islands, Hurricane Agatha causing severe flooding in Cuba in June 2022; Guyana’s Natural Resource Fund hitting $643.98mn in May 2022; Suriname’s real GDP growth is expected to reach […]
Venezuela’s Oil Exports Drop 8% in April amid Quality-linked Delays
(Reuters, 6.May.2022) — Venezuela’s oil exports fell 8% in April from the previous month amid continued delays linked to poor-quality crude grades and insufficient oil upgrading capacity available, according to documents and vessel monitoring data on Thursday. U.S.-sanctioned Venezuela recovered a portion of lost production last year, but crude shipments have been […]
NRGBriefs: Exxon Exits Sakhalin-1; LyondellBasell On Seasonal Demand
(Energy Analytics Institute, 29.Apr.2022) — Energy briefs including Exxon discontinuing operations at the Sakhalin-1 venture; and LyondellBasell Industries (NYSE: LYB) expecting typical improvements in summer seasonal demand will extend market strength for its products. LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Guyana — Eco Atlantic Oil & Gas “is proud of the role […]
Cuba Exceeds Fuel Import Budget: April 2022 Caribbean Monthly Economic Report
(Energy Analytics Institute, 25.Apr.2022) — Cuba exceeded its fuel import budget in the first quarter due to higher fuel prices while Trinidad & Tobago is expected to experience a “balance of payments crisis this year “absent significant reforms and economic recovery,” Caribbean Region Economist Marla Dukharan wrote 25 April 2022 […]
Cuba Struggles to Buy Fuel as Imports from Venezuela Dwindle -Data
(Reuters, 5.Apr.2022) — Cuba is struggling to cover a fuel deficit as imports from Venezuela and other countries remain below historical levels and global prices boosted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine make purchases almost unaffordable, according to analysts and data. The Caribbean country, which is dependent on fuel imports mostly […]
Melbana Provides Positive Update from Alameda-1 Well Onshore Cuba
(Melbana Energy, 7.Feb.2022) — Melbana Energy Limited (ASX: MAY) (Melbana) provided this update on its drilling operations at its Alameda-1 exploration well in its Block 9 contract area onshore Cuba. Overnight drilling reached a depth of approximately 3,590mMD (3420mTVD), at which point a lithology change was detected, potentially signifying the […]
Uncertainties In Venezuela Around Arrival Of More Iranian Gasoline
(Energy Analytics Institute, 22.Jun.2021) — Venezuelan economist José Toro Hardy said it was unclear when additional Iranian tankers carrying gasoline would reach the South American country’s coasts. Venezuela could encounter another diesel shortage in coming months; hence, reason Hardy said it was urgent to try to prepare for the shortage […]
Cuban Tanker En Route To Venezuela Reports Missing Sailor At Sea
(Reuters, 12.May.2021) — A crew member aboard a Cuba-flagged oil tanker on its way from a Mexican shipyard to Venezuela was reported missing this week, according to a shipping report seen by Reuters, marking the second incident aboard the same vessel in about a year. Sailor Rafael Desiderio Martinez Alonso […]
Entities Look To Press Biden On Venezuela Fuel Swaps
(Reuters, 18.Jan.2021) — Representatives of fuel suppliers to Venezuela, importers of Venezuelan oil and advocacy groups said this month they plan to press the incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to reverse a ban on crude-for-diesel swaps. The Trump administration since the last quarter of 2020 has barred companies […]
New Electricity Tariff In Cuba To Protect Vulnerable
(Prensa Latina, 14.Dec2020) — The new electricity tariff to be implemented in Cuba next January 1 as part of the monetary regulation process, will protect vulnerable families, a government practice in force on the island. Cuban Deputy Prime Minister Alejandro Gil explained that the increase in prices will occur in […]
Cash-short Cuba Orders More Power Cuts
(Argus, 26.Aug.2020) — Cuba is deepening power cuts as US sanctions on its main fuel supplier Venezuela make it harder for the island to keep its lights on. Venezuela’s state-owned PdV has long supplied crude and fuel to Cuba under a barter agreement dating back two decades. But PdV’s own […]
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 […]
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 […]
PDVSA Steps Up Shipments To Cuba
(Reuters, 14.Feb.2020) — Venezuela’s state energy firm PDVSA has been shipping more oil this month to close ally Cuba, as tighter U.S. sanctions have worsened fuel shortages on the Caribbean island, according to sources and internal company documents seen by Reuters. Six vessels, most of them owned by PDVSA’s maritime […]
US Cuts Venezuelan Flows Plans For China, Rosneft
(S&P Global Platts, 24.Dec.2019) — US sanctions on PDVSA shut down roughly 500,000 b/d of crude flows from Venezuela to Gulf Coast refineries within a matter of weeks after being imposed in January, and helped cut the South American nation’s oil production roughly in half before the end of the […]
Venezuela And Cuba ‘Circumvent Sanctions’
(Miami Herald, Jim Wyss and Nora Gamez Torres, 3.Dec.2019) — Washington continued to tighten its grip on Venezuela and Cuba on Tuesday, naming six oil tankers that deliver fuel from the South American nation to the island as “blocked property.” The action — just the latest in a series of […]
US Acts Against Movement Of Venezuelan Oil To Cuba
(US Department of State, 3.Dec.2019) — On December 3, the United States identified six PDVSA-owned vessels, pursuant to E.O. 13884 or 13850, being used by the former Maduro regime to ship oil to Cuba, announced US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo. Related Story: OFAC Adds Six Vessels To List […]
OFAC Adds Six Vessels To List
(Piero Stewart, Energy Analytics Institute, 3.Dec.2019) — The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) add six vessels to its SDN list as of 3 Dec. and as follows. — ICARO Crude Oil Tanker Panama flag; Vessel Registration Identification IMO 9038842 (vessel) [Venezuela-EO13884] (Linked To: PDVSA). […]
Cuba Working To Boost Renewable Energy
(Xinhua, 29.Nov.2019) — Cuba hopes to generate a quarter of its energy needs from renewable sources over the next decade, an industry official said on Thursday. The government’s Renewable Energy Development Program aims to raise clean energy output from today’s 4 percent to 24 percent by 2030, said Tatiana Amaran, […]
Apache To Explore Offshore Cuba
(Dominican Today, 27.Nov.2019) — The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) awarded Apache Dominican Republic Corporation, a subsidiary of the US Apache Corporation, an offshore block in the San Pedro de Macorís basin for exploration and exploitation of oil and gas. The award was delivered at the country’s first auction […]
Venezuela Ships Petcoke Cargo To Cuba
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 25.Nov.2019) — OPEC member country Venezuela reportedly shipped a cargo of petroleum coke to Cuba valued at an estimated $1.7 million, according to sources in Punto Fijo, Venezuela. A cargo of 26,000 metric tons of petcoke was loading onto the Lagonda tanker on 24 Nov. […]
Maduro Pledges 30 MMbbls To Back Cryptocurrency
(Oilprice.com, Irina Slav, 21.Nov.2019) — Venezuela will use some 30 million barrels of oil it has in storage as backing for its national cryptocurrency, the petro, Reuters reports, citing a speech by President Nicolas Maduro. “I will deliver these 30 million of barrels as a liquid, physical, material backing for […]
CUPET To Host Licensing Round Workshop
(GEP, 18.Nov.2019) — As the official CUPET meeting and roadshow to mark Cuba’s first offshore bid round, the Cuba Energy, Oil and Gas conference will be returning at the end of the month (26-29 November) hosted by CUPET. Featured as part of this year’s four day conference programme, CUPET, alongside […]
Venezuela Using Invisible Oil Tankers To Skirt Sanctions
(Oilprice.com, Irina Slav, 16.Nov.2019) — U.S. sanctions on Venezuela have been squeezing the life out of its economy in an attempt to remove the government of Nicolas Maduro from power, but so far those sanctions haven’t been entirely successful. The reason: Venezuela is still exporting oil. So far in November, […]
Reliance To Resume Venezuela Oil Loadings
(Reuters, Marianna Parraga, 9.Oct.2019) — Indian refiner Reliance Industries Ltd is scheduled to resume loading Venezuelan crude in October after a four-month pause, according to sources and internal documents from PDVSA seen by Reuters, a move that could help Venezuela’s state-run company drain its large oil inventories. The United States in January […]
Energy Cos Caught In Spat Over Venezuela Sanctions
(Chron, Sergio Chapa, 7.Oct.2019) — Frequent power outages, theft of equipment, a political tug-of-war and billions of dollars in losses would seem to signal to businesses that it’s time to get out of Venezuela. But energy companies with headquarters or major operations in Houston — including the oil major Chevron […]
PdV Floods Cuba With Stranded Oil
(Argus, 3.Oct.2019) — At least three Venezuelan fuel tankers are heading towards Cuba today, part of a flotilla meant to free up domestic storage space while defying a US campaign to cut off Venezuela’s oil supply to its political ally. Up to 3mn bl of refined products and heavy crude […]
US Press Secretary Statement On Venezuela
(White House Press Secretary, 25.Sep.2019) — Today, President Donald J. Trump and other United States officials hosted leaders from Western Hemisphere countries to discuss the need for a democratic transition in Venezuela to resolve the prolonged political, economic, and humanitarian crisis caused by Nicolas Maduro and his regime. The United […]
Venezuela Oil Exports To Cuba Rising: Sources
(Reuters, Mircely Guanipa and Marianna Parraga, 25.Sep.2019) — Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA ordered an increase in exports to ally Cuba to ease fuel shortages on the island this month, challenging U.S. sanctions on shipping firms involved in the trade, according to three industry sources and Refinitiv Eikon data. The […]
US Targets Entities, Vessels Moving Venezuelan Oil To Cuba
(US Treasury, 24.Sep.2019) — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated four entities that operate in the oil sector of the Venezuelan economy pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13850. Additionally, OFAC identified four vessels that transport oil and other petroleum products from Venezuela […]
US Actions Against Entities Assisting Venezuela
(US Treasury, 24.Sep.2019) — On September 24, the United States designated four companies that operate in Venezuela’s oil sector as sanctioned, and identified as blocked property four vessels associated with this activity. This action further targets Venezuela’s oil sector and the mechanisms used to transport oil to Nicolás Maduro’s Cuban […]
Cuba Won’t negotiate On Venezuela, But Russia Might
(Miami Herald, Nora Gámez Torres and Michael Wilner, 24.Sep.2019) — Moscow has maintained communication with members of the Venezuelan opposition even as the Cuban government plans on “going down with the ship” alongside Nicolás Maduro, a senior Trump administration official said on Tuesday. In an interview with the Miami Herald […]
Fallout From Sweet Oil Deal For Venezuela’s Neighbors
(NPR, 20.Jul.2019) — It sounded like such a good idea at the time. The year was 2005. Global oil prices were climbing dramatically. Countries in the Caribbean were facing major fuel shortages. Venezuela, one of the world’s largest producers of crude, offered to ease the staggering fuel costs faced by […]
Venezuelan Petroleum Exports To Cuba Surge In Response To US Sanctions
(Platts, 23.May.2019) — Venezuela has increased oil supplies to ally Cuba in May four-fold as US sanctions severely limit exports to other countries, PDVSA documents show. According to the documents, seen by S&P Global Platts Thursday, state-owned PDVSA exported 1.416 million barrels of combined crude and products in May to […]
Repsol Winds Down Operations In Venezuela
(VOA, Martin Arostegui, 21.May.2019) — Spain’s Repsol, the last western oil giant with major operations in Venezuela, is leaving the embattled country, as pressure mounts from U.S. sanctions and continuing unrest. Repsol’s investments in Venezuela, valued at nearly $1.7 billion (1,480 billion euros) in 2017, have fallen 70% over the […]
US Targets Shippers For Bringing Venezuela Oil To Cuba
(AFP, 17.May.2019) — The United States last Friday imposed sanctions on two shipping companies for delivering Venezuelan oil to ally Cuba in what it called a response to actions against opposition lawmakers in Caracas. The Treasury Department said it was taking aim at the Monsoon Navigation Corp, headquartered in the […]
New U.S. Sanctions Seek To Block Venezuelan Oil Shipments To Cuba
(NYT, Annie Karni and Nicholas Casey, 5.Apr.2019) — The Trump administration announced on Friday its latest round of economic sanctions against the government of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela, this time aimed at oil shipments between Venezuela and Cuba, a country that the administration has accused of propping up Mr. […]
LatAmNRG Q&A Series With Refinitiv’s Carl Larry
(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 31.Mar.2019) — As part of Energy Analytics Institute’s ongoing coverage of the Latin America and Caribbean energy sectors from conventionals, unconventionals to renewables, Houston-based Refinitiv Market Development Manager Carl Larry weighs in on Peru LNG and issues it faces from increasing US natural gas volumes […]
OPEC Releases MOMR With Data Thru Feb. 2019
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 14.Mar.2019) — OPEC announced publication of its Monthly Oil Market Report (MOMR) as of 14 March 2019 with details on producers in Latin America and the Caribbean from Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. *** © Energy Analytics Institute (EAI)
Cuba And Bolivia To Cooperate In Peaceful Use Of Nuclear Energy
(Prensa Latina, 28.Nov.2018) — Cuba and Bolivia on Wednesday signed an interagency agreement to strengthen, facilitate and expand the opportunities for technical, scientific and academic cooperation, and to develop the peaceful applications of nuclear energy. The document was penned by the Cuban deputy minister for Science, Technology and Environment, Jose […]
UNICEF Works on Developing Resilience in Caribbean Islands Affected by Hurricanes
(UNICEF Canada, 12.Sep.2018) — A year after two category 5 hurricanes caused destruction across parts of the Caribbean, most children in the affected countries are now back in school and have access to the services they need, thanks to the efforts of UNICEF and partners. In September 2017, hurricanes Irma […]
Guyana to Become 5th Largest Oil Producer in LAC Region
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 15.Aug.2018) – If all goes off as planned, by 2025, Guyana will be the 5th largest oil producer in the Latin American and Caribbean region. That’s according to an analysis of data posted by Trading Economics, and extrapolation of estimates of Guyana’s future oil production, […]
Venezuela Dodges Oil Asset Seizures
(Reuters, Marianna Parraga, Mircely Guanipa, 7.Aug.2018) – Reuters) – Venezuela’s state-run oil company PDVSA has limited the damage from an unprecedented slump in crude exports by transferring oil between tankers at sea and loading vessels in neighboring Cuba to avoid asset seizures. But the OPEC member nation is still fulfilling […]
Petroleum Geology of Mexico and the Northern Caribbean
(The Geological Society, 25.Jul.2018) – The Gulf of Mexico is a world class prolific hydrocarbon system. As a result of recent energy reform the Mexican sector of this basin has been open to international companies for the first time through a series of competitive licence rounds. The first phase of […]
Why Is Venezuela Still Sending Subsidized Oil To Cuba?
(OilPrice.com, Haley Zaremba, 17.Jul.2018) – In the past, oil has accounted for 96 percent of Venezuela’s exports and over 40 percent of government revenues. Now, as the nation’s economy continues to crumble amid sanctions, political strife, and low oil prices, the Venezuela’s all-important oil production is plummeting. In fact, last […]
FDI in LAC Region Falls for Third Straight Year
(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 12.Jul.2018) – Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Latin America and the Caribbean fell for a third straight year in 2017, reported the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean or CEPAL by its Spanish acronym. The details were revealed in CEPAL’s annual report titled […]
Melbana Says UK Investors Eyeing Cuba
(Melbana Energy Limited, 2.Jul.2018) – Melbana Energy Limited announced a potential dual listing on the UK’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) is being actively considered, as it is clear there is strong UK investor interest in Cuba as an investment destination. The company is considering any number of corporate business development […]
Melbana to Spud Cuba Well in December
(Melbana Energy Limited, 2.Jul.2018) – Australia’s Melbana Energy Limited announced preparatory work is continuing in Cuba in readiness for the planned drilling program in Block 9. From a permitting perspective, intermediate approvals are continuing to be obtained for both the Alameda and Zapato exploration wells as progress is made towards […]
India, Cuba Shake Over Renewable Energy
(PTI, 23.Jun.2018) – India and Cuba have agreed to enhance cooperation in biotechnology, renewable energy and traditional medicine as President Ram Nath Kovind held wide-ranging talks with his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz-Canel to further cement the strong bilateral ties. Kovind, who arrived here on Thursday on the last leg of […]
Data Confirms Cuban Oil Prospects
(UPI, Daniel J. Graeber, 12.Jun.2018) — New data taken from an oil reservoir on the northern coast of Cuba confirm the assessment of a highly prospective site, Australia’s Melbana Energy announced. Melbana, which changed its name from MEO Australia to reflect a Caribbean flair, said a new study of the […]
Cuba’s Fuel Supply and Exports Pressure Currency
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 7.Jun.2018) – Cuba’s foreign currency will be under pressure this year. “Difficulties with fuel supply and a drop in exports have continued to put pressure on the availability of foreign currency,” wrote Caribbean Economist Marla Dukharan in a recent Caribbean Economic Report, which is available […]
Why Melbana Choose Cuba?
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, Jared Yamin) – Melbana Energy Limited Chief Geologist Errol Johnstone explains why the company choose Cuba. ***
Ramnarine Talks About Southern Caribbean Deepwater Industry
(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 31.May.2018) – Former Trinidad and Tobago Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine will speak in Port of Spain about the regional deepwater industry in the Southern Caribbean. An abstract from his technical talk about the regional deepwater industry in the Southern Caribbean, and the case of Guyana, […]
Total, Siemens Hope to Sign Cuban LNG Deal Soon
(Reuters, Marc Frank, 30.Apr.2018) — French energy firm Total SA and German industrial giant Siemens AG hope to sign a deal soon with Cuba to build a 600 megawatt gas-fired power plant on the island, according to diplomats and businessmen with knowledge of the talks. The two are leading a […]
Energy, Education, and Learning Through NRG ED
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 24.May.2018) – Energy Analytics Institute, formerly LatinPetroleum Inc., continues to promote its “Energy Education Initiative” in the Americas, also known as “NRG ED.” NRG ED is structured to work with K-12 schools, community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, workforce training programs, communities and businesses, and […]
ECLAC Ssays Venezuela’s Economic Activity to Fall 8.5% in 2018
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 1.May.2018) – The United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, also known as ECLAC or CEPAL by its Spanish acronym, projects economic activity in troubled Venezuela will contract 8.5% in 2018. Gross domestic product or (GDP) estimates for other important countries and […]
PDVSA Strengthens Cuba-Venezuela Agreement
(PDVSA, 22.Feb.2017) – The vice president of trade and supply of PDVSA Ysmel Serrano, concluded a work trip to Cuba in order to strengthen energy cooperation ties as part of the Cuba-Venezuela Agreement. Key issues for the development of integration policies with the peoples of the Caribbean were discussed in […]
MEO Australia Signs Deal for Cuba Block 9
(MEO Australia Ltd., 3.Sep.2015) – MEO Australia Limited executed the Cuba Block 9 Production Sharing Contract (PSC) with the national oil company Cuba Petroleo Union (CUPET) in a ceremony in Havana, Cuba. The ceremony was attended by dignitaries including Juan Torres Naranjo, general director of CUPET and representatives of MEO, […]