Latin America and the Caribbean Archives - Page 192 of 220

New Corruption Scheme Revealed at PDVSA

(Prensa Latina, 19.Sep.2018) — The Public Prosecutor”s Office (MP) has revealed today a new corruption scheme in the state-run Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), which has caused losses of 18,500,000 dollars to the main industry of the country. In a press conference from the MP headquarters in Caracas, Attorney General Tarek […]

Aker Solutions Wins Major Services Contract in Brazil

(Aker Solutions, 18.Sep.2018) — The Campos Basin extends approximately 100,000 square kilometers. The three-year contract is valued at more than BRL 250 million and includes an option for a two-year extension. Aker Solutions will be renovating, repairing and upgrading offshore production units for Petrobras’ Campos Basin Operational Unit (UO-BC). The […]

YPF Announce Settlement Of Previously Announced Tender Offer

(YPF, 18.Sep.2018) — YPF S.A. announced settlement of the previously announced tender offer to purchase for cash any and all of its outstanding 8.875% Senior Notes due 2018. The Tender Offer expired at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 17, 2018. At the Expiration Date, valid tenders […]

Nicolas Maduro Says Venezuela to Double Oil Production

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 18.Sep.2018) — Venezuela, the struggling OPEC producer, is now planning to double its production of crude oil, according to statements from the country’s president. “With revolutionary spirit we will double the productive capacity of PDVSA,” announced Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro during a press conference in […]

Venezuela’s Maduro Says Relationship With China ‘Win-Win’

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 18.Sep.2018) — In terms of bilateral cooperation, Venezuela and China are seeking a ‘win-win’ scenarios. “Relations with China are very clear and have been framed around mutual respect and under the premise of win-win, which has allowed for the reactivation of financial funds, and revival […]

Expert Says Closure of Petrotrin Refinery Will Decimate Trinidad

(Trinidad Express, 17.Sep.2018) — Former Director of Energy Industries at Industrial, Jim Catterson, says closure of the Petrotrin refinery makes no economic sense. He said the closure would decimate south Trinidad. Catterson said unemployment would rise and poverty would spread across the nation. Speaking at a press conference at the […]

Petrobras to Boost Oil Output in 2019, Cut Debt $10 Billion – CFO

(Reuters, Devika Krishna Kumar, Simon Webb, 17.Sep.2018) — Brazil’s state-run oil giant Petróleo Brasileiro SA aims to raise output as much as 10 percent to around 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2019 and cut net debt by $10 billion (7.62 billion pounds), Chief Financial Officer Rafael Grisolia told […]

Petrobras Aims To Cut Debt Further, Boost Oil Production In 2019

(OilPrice.com, Tsvetana Paraskova, 17.Sep.2018) — Brazil’s state-run oil firm Petrobras plans to shave another US$10 billion off its huge net debt and increase oil production by as much as 10 percent to 2.3 million bpd in 2019, chief financial officer Rafael Grisolia told Reuters in an interview published on Monday. […]

Bolivian Government Approves Bioethanol Made with New Blend of Additives

(Efe, 16.Sep.2018) — Bolivia gave the green light to the massive production of bioethanol to replace the importation of additives for gasoline and diesel fuel in accord with a law signed by President Evo Morales. Morales signed the Law on Vegetable Derived Additives on Saturday during a ceremony in Minero, […]

EP Petroecuador Detects Illegal Connection at Shushufindi Refinery

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 15.Sep.2018) — EP Petroecuador detected a clandestine connection in the liquids line of the northern section of the gas capture station of the Shushufindi Refinery. Technical personnel at the company immediately implemented a contingency plan to eliminate the illegal connection, which was detected on September […]

Bolivia’s Morales Says Electricity Rates Will Not Rise

(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 15.Sep.2018) — Read my lips. Well, it wasn’t exactly like that. However, Bolivia’s President Evo Morales clarified that electricity tariffs in the small land-locked South American county would not rise. Domestic consumption is around 1,500 megawatts, while supply is around 2,100 megawatts, reported the daily […]

Barbados Hunting New Suppliers Following Closure of Petrotrin Refinery

(Jamaica Gleaner, 14.Sep.2018) — Barbados says it is holding discussions with a number of suppliers to replace the energy arrangements it had with oil refinery Petrotrin. The refinery, based in Trinidad & Tobago, is locking down operations, a measure it blamed on increasing financial losses. The closure has led to […]

Argentina Owes Bolivia $250 Million for Natural Gas Sales

(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 14.Sep.2018) — Argentina owes Bolivia $250 million, which corresponds to two-months of natural gas sales. “Hopefully they can honor the debt,” reported the daily newspaper La Razón, citing Bolivia’s Hydrocarbons Minister Luis Alberto Sánchez. ***

PetroTal Announces Grant of Performance Share Units, Deferred Share Units

(PetroTal, 14.Sep.2018) — PetroTal Corp. granted performance share units (PSUs) and deferred share units (DSUs) to certain officers and directors of the company. PetroTal granted an aggregate of 3,901,666 PSUs to certain officers of the company in accordance of the provisions of the company’s PSU plan. The PSUs will vest […]

Energy Metals Prices Will Continue To Increase Well Into The Future

Ecopetrol: Fracking Likely In Colombia, Business Prospects Are Positive

(Seeking Alpha, Dylan Quintilone, 14.Sep.2018) — Ecopetrol SA is a Colombian oil and gas company with headquarters in Bogotá, Colombia. The company is listed by Forbes as the 300th largest enterprise by profits and is the second oil company in South America behind Petrobras from Brazil. Ecopetrol’s operations are divided […]

Argentine President Inaugurates Biogas-Fueled Electric Plant

(Efe, 14.Sep.2018) — President Mauricio Macri inaugurated on Friday a biogas-fueled electric plant in the Argentine province of Cordoba that he said will supply energy to 12,000 households and generate “quality jobs.” “A country can’t grow without energy,” he said during the ceremony at the plant in Rio Cuarto, which […]

Snapshot: Kosmos Energy Explores New Basin Potential in Suriname

(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 14.Sep.2018) — Kosmos Energy continues to explore new basin potential outside of Africa. In December 2011, Kosmos secured a position offshore Suriname, marking the company’s first portfolio expansion beyond Africa. In Suriname, located in the north-eastern portion of South America, Kosmos participates in two blocks: […]

PetroTal Seeks Exploration Partner for the Osheki Prospect in Peru

(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 13.Sep.2018) — PetroTal Corp. is seeking joint venture partners to drill the first exploration well by the fourth quarter 2019 or early 2020. “We are currently engaging potential joint venture partners to drill the exploration prospect and expect the full data room to be open […]

IEA Warns of Higher Oil Prices as Iran and Venezuela Losses Deepen

(Bloomberg, Grant Smith. 13.Sep.2018) — The International Energy Agency warned that oil prices could break out above $80 a barrel unless other producers act to offset deepening supply losses in Iran and Venezuela. Iranian crude exports have fallen significantly before U.S. sanctions even take effect, the IEA said in a […]

U.S. Company Manager Pleads Guilty in PDVSA Bribery Scheme

(Reuters, 13.Sep.2018) — A former manager of a U.S.-based logistics company pleaded guilty on Thursday to paying bribes to secure contracts from Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA, and the guilty plea of the official who was bribed was also unsealed, the U.S. Justice Department said. Juan Carlos Castillo Rincon, 55, […]

France’s Total Enters Orinduik Block Offshore Guyana

(OffshoreEnergyToday, 13.Sep.2018) — French oil major Total has exercised its option to acquire a 25 percent working interest in the Orinduik block offshore Guyana after a competent persons report identified potential for almost three billion barrels of oil equivalent. Eco Atlantic, a partner in the Tullow-operated Orinduik block, said on […]

NP CEO Says No Fallout On Refinery Closure

(Trinidad and Tobago Newsday, Sasha Harrinanan, 12.Sep.2018) — Most everyone knows about the 1,700 workers who will be out of a job once Petrotrin closes its oil refinery in Pointe-a-Pierre. What fewer people know is that when confirmation of this came on August 28, some National Petroleum Marketing Co Ltd […]

Venezuela’s Aug. 2018 Oil Output Continues Decline: OPEC MOMR

(Energy Analytics Institute, Jared Yamin, 12.Sep.2018) — Venezuela’s oil production seems on an unstoppable downward trend. The OPEC country’s production of crude oil fell 2.9 percent to 1,235 thousand barrels per day (Mb/d) in August 2018 compared to 1,272 Mb/d in July 2018, according to data published in OPEC’s Monthly […]

Jamaica’s Economy Gets $5 Bln From PetroCaribe Over 13 Years

(CMC, 12.Sep.2018) — Jamaica says it has benefitted from projects estimated at US$5 billion under the Venezuela-led PetroCaribe initiative over the past 13 years. CEO of the Petro-Caribe Development Fund Dr Wesley Hughes said the contributions of the fund to Jamaica have been “meaningful and significant”. Speaking earlier this week […]

Venezuela Constituent Assembly Seeks to Woo Private Oil Investment

(Reuters, Mayela Armas, 12.Sep.2018) — An overhaul of Venezuela’s constitution being prepared by the pro-government Constituent Assembly will likely include changes intended to attract private investment in the country’s oil fields, according to two assembly members. Production by the OPEC nation’s oil industry is at a 60-year low, leaving President […]

PDVSA To Reopen Damaged Port Dock By Month’s End

(Reuters, Marianna Parraga, 12.Sep.2018) — PDVSA expects to reopen the south dock of Venezuela’s main oil port Jose by the end of September, easing strains on crude exports delayed due to a tanker collision last month, according to internal trade documents from the state-run oil firm seen by Reuters. Last […]

Maduro Looks to China to Bolster Venezuela’s Collapsing Economy

(Afp, 12.Sep.2018) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro departed Wednesday for China in search of agreements to bolster the oil-exporting country’s collapsing economy. Maduro said the trip was “very necessary, very opportune and full of great expectations.” “We are leaving under better conditions, having activated a program of economic recovery, growth […]

Jamaica: Gas Prices Down $0.72, Diesel Down $0.35

(Jamaica Gleaner, 12.Sep.2018) — Gas prices are to go down by $0.72 tomorrow Thursday, September 13 The state-owned oil refinery, Petrojam, says E-10 87 will sell for $137.82 per litre and a litre of E-10 90 will sell for $140.65. Automotive diesel oil will go down by $0.35 per litre to […]

Ecuador Holds Open Licensing Round for Eight Onshore Blocks

(World Oil, 12.Sep.2018) — Carlos Pérez Garcia, Minister of Energy and Non-renewable Resources in Ecuador has announced an open licensing round for eight blocks onshore Ecuador, in Sucumbíos Province. These comprise: Araza Este, Changue, Iguana, Perico, Espejo, Pañayacu Norte, Charapa and Sahino. The blocks offered are all onshore, conventional opportunities, […]

Venezuela Oil Production Continues to Collapse

(Energy Analytics Institute, Jared Yamin, 12.Sep.2018) — The decline is consistent and constant as well as consistently and constantly bad, writes Caracas Capital Market in a research note emailed to clients. Summary details from the research note follow: OPEC released the production counts for its member states today and while […]

Venezuela’s Oil Output Continues Fall, Ecuador’s Rises in Aug. 2018

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 12.Sep.2018) — Crude oil production in August 2018 in South America’s lone OPEC member countries, Venezuela and Ecuador, continued along usual trends, according to data published in the organization’s September 2018 Monthly Oil Market Report Crude oil production in Venezuela, the country with the world’s […]

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 […]

IEnova, BP Sign Contract For Liquid Fuels Terminal In Baja California, Mexico

(Sempra Energy, 11.Sep.2018) — Sempra Energy announced its Mexican subsidiary, Infraestructura Energética Nova, S.A.B. de C.V. (IEnova) signed a long-term contract with British Petroleum (BP) for the remaining 50 percent of the initial capacity of the proposed Baja Refinados liquid fuels marine terminal in Baja California, Mexico. Under the agreement, […]

Mexico Oil Production to Reach 2.6 MMb/d by 2025: Lopez Obrador

(S&P Global Platts, Daniel Rodriguez, 11.Sep.2018) — Mexico’s President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Sunday he plans to focus on developing and exploring onshore and shallow water areas under the control of state oil company Pemex to boost the country’s oil production. “We have a projection, and our plan is […]

Ecopetrol Gets Approval for Contingent Credit Line for $665 Million

(Ecopetrol S.A., 10.Sep.2018) — Ecopetrol S.A. announced that as part of its integral debt management strategy, it will sign a contingent line of credit for $665 million with Scotiabank ($430 million) and Mizuho Bank ($235 million). Under this type of facility, known as a committed line of credit, Scotiabank and […]

Excelerate Energy, TGS Sign Deal to Study Liquefaction Project in Bahía Blanca

(Excelerate Energy L.P., 10.Sep.2018) — Excelerate Energy L.P. and Transportadora de Gas del Sur S.A. announced the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly collaborate on the assessment of a liquefaction project in the city of Bahía Blanca, Argentina. Argentina currently imports liquefied natural gas (LNG) through two floating […]

Uruguay: A Clean Energy Leader

(Uruguay Investment Agency, 10.Sep.2018) — Uruguay stands out in Latin America for its high living standards and social and political stability. Today it is also a world leader in renewable energies thanks to its privileged location and forward-thinking legislation. Did you know that Uruguay has invested more in the development […]

International Tribunal Rules for Chevron in Ongoing Ecuador Case

(OGJ, Nick Snow, 10.Sep.2018) — An international tribunal administered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague found that a $9.5-billion judgment that Ecuador’s government lodged against Chevron Corp. in 2011 violated international treaties, investment agreements, and international law. Ecuador breached its obligations under a 1995 settlement agreement that […]

Peru-Petro President Says Proposed Hydrocarbon Law “Favorable”

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 10.Sep.2018) — The proposed Law for the Promotion of the Hydrocarbons Industry, which will be debated shortly by Congress, is “favorable” for the country’s oil sector, announced Peru-Petro President Seferino Yesquén. The official, speaking during an interview with Andina, said the law is “favorable” because […]

Chevron Wins Ecuador Rainforest ‘Oil Dumping’ Case

(BBC, 8.Sep.2018) — An international tribunal in The Hague has ruled in favour of the US oil company, Chevron, in an environmental dispute with the government of Ecuador. Chevron had been ordered to pay $9.5bn (£7.4bn) compensation to thousands of residents in Ecuador’s Amazon region. They accused the company of […]

Stena Bulk, Petrobras, Ink Two-Year Contract

(Energy Analytics Institute, Jared Yamin, 8.Sep.2018) — Stena Bulk signed a deal to charter two MR tankers to Petrobras. Under the deal, Stena Bulk will charter its MR product tankers Stena Conqueror (47,000 dwt, built in 2003) and Stena Conquest (47,000 dwt, built in 2004) to Brazil’s state-owned oil company. […]

Venezuela Wants To Overhaul State Oil Firm PDVSA

(Oilprice.com, Tsvetana Paraskova, 7.Sep.2018) — Venezuela has set up a commission that will be working to reshuffle and reorganize its state oil firm PDVSA in the next few months, according to the country’s Official Gazette on Thursday, in what would be the latest Venezuelan attempt to show that it is […]

Frontera Receives Global Compact Awards from UN

(Frontera Energy Corporation, 7.Sep.2018) — Frontera Energy Corporation has been named a Canadian Sustainable Development Goals award winner for the second consecutive year by the Global Compact Network Canada, the Canadian network of the United Nations Global Compact. Frontera was awarded the SDG Leadership Award in the large organizations category, […]

Guyana’s Jan Mangal Warns of Cash Payouts

(Stabroek News, 7.Sep.2018) — Former presidential advisor Jan Mangal has warned that while cash payouts from oil revenue may have an important role to play in the future, at this point it could be a distraction from the larger goal of clawing back wealth. His reference in a Facebook post […]

YPF Board Names María Luján Bianchi As Chief Compliance Officer

(YPF, 7.Sep.2018) — The Board of Directors YPF S.A. announced, at its meeting held on September 6, 2018, approval of appointment of María Luján Bianchi as Chief Compliance Officer. Luján will report to the Audit Committee. *** #LatAmNRG

Petrobras Unveils Gasoline Hedge in Bid to Weather Volatility

(Reuters, 6.Sep.2018) — Brazil’s state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA on Thursday unveiled a hedging program for gasoline prices in a bid to boost pricing flexibility and protect its financial results during times of high volatility. Petrobras, as the company is known, said in a securities filing the program would […]

Argentina to Seek Bids on Renewable Energy Projects

(Efe, 6.Sep.2018) — The government of Argentina announced Thursday that it will launch a third round of tenders for bids on renewable energy projects in October. The announcement was made by the undersecretary of Renewable Energy, Sebastian Kind, during the Argentina Wind Power 2018 conference, organized by the Global Wind […]

Output from Main Pre-Salt Field to Peak in 2019

(Efe, 6.Sep.2018) — Output from Brazil’s most prolific pre-salt field will climb to a peak of 1 million barrels of oil per day in 2019, according to the executive manager for deep-water exploration and production at state oil company Petrobras. The Lula field, located in the Santos Basin, will achieve […]

Guyana Gov’t to Proceed with Energy MoU

(Stabroek News, 6.Sep.2018) — The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Energy Sector Cooperation between the governments of Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, paving the way for cooperation in oil and gas between the two states, will proceed as planned next week, despite a call by the city […]