(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky and Ian Silverman, 25.Jun.2019) — Heard on the street related to the Latin America and Caribbean upstream, midstream, downstream and renewable energies sectors. ARGENTINA — During the first half of July a tender will be launched in Argentina for the construction of a new natural […]
Category: Latin America and the Caribbean
Petrobras Starts Rio Ventura Cluster Non-Binding Phase
(Petrobras, 25.Jun.2019) — Petrobras, following up on the release disclosed on 06/03/2019, announces the beginning of the non-binding phase related to the sale of its total equity interest in eight exploration and production concessions, located in Bahia state, jointly designated as Rio Ventura Cluster. At this stage, the interested parties […]
Vaca Muerta Finally Produces Oil, 100 Years Later
(Bloomberg, Jonathan Gilbert, 25.Jun.2019) — Along the western edge of Argentina’s Patagonia, on an arid steppe nestled against the Andes mountains, lies a shale formation known as the Vaca Muerta. And ever since engineers confirmed what an American geologist suspected a century ago — that the Vaca Muerta, or dead […]
Brazil Approves Pro-market Gas Regulations
(Argus, 25.Jun.2019) — Brazil’s national energy policy council (CNPE) approved regulations that will open the country’s natural gas market and reduce the dominant position of state-controlled Petrobras. The new regulatory framework, which was announced in April, would end Petrobras’ monopoly in gas production and distribution, with the goal of reducing […]
Brazil Approves Natgas Market Overhaul
(Reuters, 24.Jun.2019) — Brazil’s energy policy council on Monday approved a plan to overhaul the domestic natural gas market, with the country’s Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque saying that the move would bring down gas prices within two to three years. Speaking alongside Albuquerque, Economy Minister Paulo Guedes offered […]
YPF Nationalization Trial To Continue In The U.S.
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 24.Jun.2019) — The U.S. Supreme Court of Justice dealt another blow to the strategy of the government of Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri when it deactivated the multi million-dollar demand from Burford Capital for the nationalization of YPF; thus, giving a definite green light for the […]
Moody’s Assigns B2 Rating To YPF’s Proposed 2029 Notes
(Moody’s 24.Jun.2019) — Moody’s Investors Service (“Moody’s”) has assigned a B2 rating to YPF Sociedad Anonima’s (YPF) proposed senior unsecured notes due 2029. The issuance volume will be in line with benchmark size. The outlook is stable. Net proceeds from the proposed issuance will be used for liability management, capital […]
Venezuela’s Oil Crisis Affects Colombian Black Markets
(Reuters, Joshua Collins, 24.Jun.2019) — The business was just as lucrative as trafficking cocaine. When criminal gangs sold undocumented fuel on the black market in Colombia, they could net profits upwards of a thousand percent. And the profits were there for the taking. In 2017, Colombian authorities estimated that more than […]
LatAmNRG Ecuador Briefs: Quito Gasoline, Russia’s Tyazhmash To Finish Project
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 22.Jun.2019) — LatAmNRG briefs related to OPEC member country Ecuador and gasoline prices in Quito, recycled waste imports, Russian company Tyazhmash’s plans to complete work on the Toachi Pilatón project, and inauguration of the El Inga – Tisaleo 500Kv line by Ecuador’s President Lenin Moreno. […]
The End Of Mexico’s Rigorous Energy Reform
(Oilprice.com, Tsvetana Paraskova, 22.Jun.2019) — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has been a vocal critic of the energy reform of his predecessor Enrique Peña Nieto, who opened in 2013 Mexico’s oil and gas sector to private investment for the first time in seven decades. Six months into office, […]
Opinion: Two Decades Of 21st Century Socialism In Venezuela
(Energy Analytics Institute, Pietro D. Pitts, 22.Jun.2019) — New data from BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy (2019) provides two 10-year periods of study, which reveal the two-decade collapse of Venezuela’s once all mighty oil sector under Chavez-Maduro. Simply, P1 reserves rose 76%, oil production fell 53%, and Venezuela’s R/P […]
Guyana Election Heightens Political Risk For Operators
(Energy Voice, Ryan Stevenson, 21.Jun.2019) — Guyana is due to hold a general election later this year that could have a significant bearing on the country’s emergence as a new oil frontier. Guyanese President David Granger said on June 18 he would call an election after the Caribbean Court of […]
Trinidad’s Atlantic Resumes LNG Production
(Argus, 21.Jun.2019) — Trinidad and Tobago’s LNG producer Atlantic resumed operations today at its four-train 14.8mn t/yr liquefaction facility after a five-day shutdown caused by a power cut. The trains are being re-fired “progressively” and will eventually be brought up to full capacity, Atlantic told Argus, without indicating when optimum […]
Petrobras Updates On $700mn Vantage Payment
(Petrobras, 21.Jun.2019) — Petrobras, following up on the release of May 17, 2019, hereby informs that its subsidiaries paid today the amount of approximately US$700 million related to the decision of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas that denied Petrobras’ motion to vacate and recognized […]
BPs’s Statistical Review Of World Energy, Edition 2019
(BP, 21.Jun.2019) — BP released its Statistical Review of World Energy, edition 2019, which provides a timely and objective insight into those developments and how that change can begin to be achieved. A link to the document can be found here. ***
Mexico To Cut Pemex’s Profit-Sharing Duty To 54%
(Platts, Daniel Rodriguez, 21.Jun.2019) — The Mexican government will cut Pemex’s profit-sharing duty, known as DUC, to 54% by 2021 from the current 65%, the company’s financial director, Alberto Velazquez, said Thursday. “Results from this plan might be huge, spectacular,” Velazquez said at a presentation at the Mexican Petroleum Congress. […]
GeoPark Withdraws Request For Drilling Permit In Peru
(Reuters, Maria Cervantes, 20.Jun.2019) — GeoPark has withdrawn its request for an environmental permit to begin drilling for crude in the Peruvian Amazon amid protests from indigenous tribes, the oil company said on Thursday. GeoPark said in a statement late on Thursday that it wanted to incorporate more information into […]
TPHL Announces Extension Of Expiration Date
(TPHL, 20.Jun.2019) — Trinidad Petroleum Holdings Limited (TPHL) announced that the expiration date has been extended until 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 21, 2019, unless extended or earlier terminated (such time and date with respect to the Exchange Offers, as the same may be extended, the “Extended […]
Petrobras Starts Liquigás Binding Divestment Phase
(Petrobras, 20.Jun.2019) — Petrobras, following up on the release dated 05/10/2019, announces the beginning of the binding phase related to the sale of Liquigás Distribuidora S.A. At this stage of the project, process letters are issued to qualified interested parties with detailed instructions about the divestment process, including guidelines to […]
Pemex: New Refinery Environmentally Viable
(Reuters, David Alire Garcia, 19.Jun.2019) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s push to build a new oil refinery involves high risks of flooding and other environmental issues, according to government documents published late on Tuesday, but is described as otherwise viable. The documents cover environmental impacts declared by state […]
Gran Tierra Shuts Production In Putumayo
(Gran Tierra, 19.Jun.2019) — Gran Tierra Energy Inc. announced an operations update regarding activities and results during second quarter 2019 to date. All dollar amounts are in United States (“U.S.”) dollars unless otherwise indicated. Production amounts are unaudited and on an average working interest before royalties (“WI”) basis unless otherwise […]
US Seeks Info From Guaido’s Ad-hoc Citgo Board
(Reuters, 19.Jun.2019) — An ad-hoc board of directors for U.S. oil refiner Citgo, named by Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, said on Wednesday it has received a request for information from U.S. officials, who are probing its parent company PDVSA for alleged corruption. The board was named by Guaido, also […]
Echo Completes Tapi Aike Seismic Acquisition
(Echo, 19.Jun.2019) — Echo Energy plc announced completion of the 3D seismic survey across the western cube on its Tapi Aike licence in Argentina and that processing of the western cube data acquired has now commenced. Equipment is currently being demobilised out of the area by the seismic acquisition contractor […]
Fuel Crisis Denting PdV Upstream Operations
(Argus, 18.Jun.2019) — Venezuela’s severe motor fuel deficit is starting to weigh on the Opec country’s crude production, as oil workers struggle to reach their jobs, and oil equipment and supplies fail to reach oil fields. The fuel crisis could push output below the May average of around 750,000 b/d, […]
Canada’s Gulf Coast Exports Up As Venezuela Gap Filled
(Reuters, Collin Eaton, 18.Jun.2019) — Heavy crudes have poured into the United States this spring, offsetting the loss of Venezuelan oil and producing a mini-surplus, with Canadian heavy crude this month being exported from the U.S. Gulf Coast. U.S. refiners have lined up larger supplies from Canada, Iraq and Colombia […]
“We Don’t Know Anything Yet” About The Power Outage, Lopetegui Says
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 17.Jun.2019) — Regarding a power outage that affected Argentina and Uruguay on 16 June, Argentina’s Energy Secretariat Gustavo Lopetegui said: “We don’t know anything yet.” An investigation to take at least 15 days will assist Argentine authorities to find the causes of the blackout, reported […]
Petrobras Clarifies Natgas Find In Sergipe Basin
(Petrobras, 17.Jun.2019) — Petrobras, regarding the news published in the media, related the discovery of natural gas in the Sergipe Basin, clarifies that, in recent years, six deepwater discoveries have been confirmed in the Sergipe Basin: Cumbe, Barra, Farfan, Muriú, Moita Bonita and Poço Verde, as already disclosed to the […]
Matamoros Turbine Plant To Supply U.S., LatAm Projects
(Chron.com, Sergio Chapa, 17.Jun.2019) — Wind turbine blades that are now being made in the Mexican border town of Matamoros will soon find themselves installed in projects throughout the United States and Latin America. German wind turbine maker and wind farm developer Nordex Acciona recently began production at the company’s […]
Power Returns After Blackout In Argentina And Uruguay
(Reuters, 16.Jun.2019) — Power returned to much of Argentina and two neighbouring countries following a massive blackout that left tens of millions in the dark on Sunday, but Argentine President Mauricio Macri said the cause of the “unprecedented” outage was still unclear. Argentina’s grid “collapsed” around 7 a.m. local time leaving […]
Argentina And Uruguay Scramble To Restore Power
(Reuters, Adam Jourdan and Eliana Raszewski, 16.Jun.2019) — Argentina and Uruguay were scrambling to restore power to millions of people after a massive power failure hit the Argentine grid early on Sunday, Argentina’s Energy Secretariat said. Energy company Edesur Argentina said it had restored power for 75,000 clients in the […]
Power Failure Cuts Power To All Of Argentina And Uruguay, Supplier Says
(BBC, 16.Jun.2019) — A massive electrical failure has left all of Argentina and Uruguay without power, according to a major Argentine electricity provider. Reports said the power cut had also affected parts of Brazil and Paraguay. Argentine media said the power cut occurred shortly after 07:00 (11:00 BST), causing trains […]
CBHE President: Export Volumes Don’t Determine Profitability
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 16.Jun.2019) — An agreement signed between Bolivia and Paraguay, to carry out a study aimed at building a binational gas pipeline, is important and the volume exported doesn’t determine the profitability of a business, Bolivia’s Information Agency (ABI) reported, citing Bolivia’s Hydrocarbons and Energy Chamber […]
Ad Hoc PDVSA Board Suggest Jamaica Suspending Petrojam Takeover
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 16.Jun.2019) — The ad hoc administrative board of Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) appointed by interim Venezuelan president Juan Guaidó requested that the government of Jamaica suspend the “illegal expropriation” of the shares of PDVSA Caribe in Petrojam, approved by the Jamaican parliament in February 2019, […]
ANH Reveals Details Of Initial 11 PPAA Proposals
(ANH Colombia, 14.Jun.2019) — Colombia’s National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) reveals the initial proposals of the seven individual companies and the consortium that start the bid to stay with 11 area in the first cut of the Permanent Process of Area Allocation (PPAA) of 2019. After the process of validation of […]
Argentina And Uruguay To Advance Salto Grande Project
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 14.Jun.2019) — The first phase of the joint development plan between Argentina and Uruguay to renovate the Salto Grande Bi-national Hydroelectric Complex will move forward with financing of $80 million from an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) loan, Argentina’s Energy Secretariat said 14 June in an […]
Brazil Cities Paralysed As Bolsonaro Faces Strike
(AFP, 14.Jun.2019) — A nationwide strike called by Brazil’s trade unions disrupted public transport and triggered road blocks in parts of the country Friday, ahead of protests against far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s pension reform. Hours before the opening match of the Copa America in Sao Paulo, some metro lines in […]
Argentina Eyes Exporting Oil In 2020, Lopetegui Says
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 14.Jun.2019) — Argentina’s Energy Secretariat Gustavo Lopetegui highlighted investments announced by Exxon Mobil destined for the massive development the Bajo del Choique – La Invernada block during the 6th Vaca Muerta Executive Board meeting that took place 14 June in Neuquén. “There are already four […]
Sixth Vaca Muerta Executive Board Meeting In Neuquén
(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 14.Jun.2019) — The 6th Vaca Muerta Executive Board meeting took place 14 June in Neuquén in the presence of the Neuquén Governor Omar Gutiérrez and Argentina’s Energy Secretariat Gustavo Lopetegui. During the meetings, several sub-working table groups comprised of representatives of the national and provincial […]
Mexican Oil Regulator Cancels October Tender To Pick Pemex Partners
(Reuters, 13.Jun.2019) — Mexico’s oil regulator announced on Thursday the cancellation of October auctions to pick joint-venture partners in seven onshore areas for state oil company Pemex, which is struggling to reverse more than a decade of falling crude output. The move represents a fresh blow to the flagship energy […]
ExxonMobil Moving Forward With Vaca Muerta Expansion
(Exxon, 13.Jun.2019) — ExxonMobil is proceeding with a long-term oil development in Argentina’s Bajo del Choique-La Invernada block. The project is expected to produce up to 55,000 oil-equivalent barrels per day within five years and will include 90 wells, a central production facility and export infrastructure connected to the Oldeval […]
Irving-Texas’ ExxonMobil Decides To Develop Argentina’s Oil Block
(Zacks, 12.Jun.2019) — Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM recently announced its decision to develop an oil project in Argentina. The long-term project will be conducted in the Bajo del Choique-La Invernada block and the energy firm estimates production of 55,000 oil equivalent barrels on a daily basis from it over the […]
NYSE Issues Continued Listing Standard Notice To Pioneer Energy Services
(Pioneer, 12.Jun.2019) — Pioneer Energy Services announced that it has been notified by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) that its common stock does not satisfy one of the NYSE’s standards for continued listing. The NYSE requires that the average closing price per share of a listed company’s stock be […]
Total, Shell, Petrobras Launch Mero 2 Project Offshore Brazil
(Chron.com, Jordan Blum, 12.Jun.2019) — The Libra Consortium led by Petrobras, Royal Dutch Shell and Total said they’ve authorized construction of the multibillion-dollar Mero 2 project offshore of Brazil. The authorization shows the international offshore sector is continuing a slow but steady rebound worldwide. The new development involves building a […]
Chile’s Comodoro Airport In Santiago To Run On Solar Energy
(Xinhua, 11.Jun.2019) — Photovoltaic panels will be installed to employ solar energy at Santiago’s Comodoro Arturo Merino Benitez International Airport, said Lucas Palacios, Chile’s vice minister of public works,on Tuesday. Some 3,000 photovoltaic panels will be installed to take advantage of the clean energy to “illuminate passengers, workers, and all […]
Libra Consortium Takes FDI On Mero-2 FPSO In Brazil’s Pre-Salt
(Shell, 11.Jun.2019) — Libra Consortium announced the final investment decision to contract the Mero-2 floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel to be deployed at the Mero field offshore Santos Basin in Brazil. The FPSO will have a capacity to process up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day. The […]
Canacol’s Acordeon 1 Exploration Well Tests At 33 MMcf/d In Colombia
(Canacol, 11.Jun.2019) — Canacol Energy Ltd. released results of the Acordeon 1 exploration well located on its 100% operated VIM 5 block in the Lower Magdalena Valley Basin of Colombia. Given the magnitude of this new discovery, Canacol is altering its previously announced 2019 drilling program and has spud the […]
IEnova Reports Mechanical Completion Of Sur de Texas-Tuxpan Pipeline
(IENova, 11.Jun.2019) — Infraestructura Marina del Golfo, a joint venture between TC Energy Corporation and Infraestructura Energética Nova (IEnova), announced its Sur de Texas-Tuxpan Pipeline project in northeastern Mexico has achieved mechanical completion. Sur de Texas-Tuxpan will provide capacity to transport 2.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. […]
Shell To Invest At Least $397 Million In Deepwater Oil Projects In Mexico
(Reuters, 11.Jun.2019) — Mexico’s independent oil regulator on Tuesday approved deepwater energy exploration plans for five areas operated by Royal Dutch Shell Plc in Mexican waters near the maritime border with the United States. The plans commit the Anglo-Dutch oil major to invest at least $397 million over the next […]
ExxonMobil Proceeds With Vaca Muerta Project
(ExxonMobil, 11.Jun.2019) — ExxonMobil said it is proceeding with a long-term oil development in Argentina’s Bajo del Choique-La Invernada block. The project is expected to produce up to 55,000 oil-equivalent barrels per day within five years and will include 90 wells, a central production facility and export infrastructure connected to […]
Ghana To Help Guyana’s Energy Sector
(Demerara Waves, 11.Jun.2019) — Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo has agreed that his country would help Guyana’s energy sector, Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon said. Briefing the media after Akufo Addo was conferred with Guyana’s national award, the Order of Excellence by President David Granger, Harmon said […]