Amuay Explosion in 2012 Cost PDVSA $1.8 Bln

(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 13.Aug.2013) – The Energy Orientation Center (COENER) announced the Amuay refinery explosion will cost PDVSA $1.8 billion. The explosion at the Amuay refinery was caused by a gas leak at Block B23 and occurred at 1:10am on 25.Aug.2012 and was the largest tragedy to-date to […]

Q&A with Oil Outlook President Carl Larry

(Energy Analytics Institute, Pietro D. Pitts, 9.Aug.2013) – Oil Outlook President Carl Larry spoke with Energy Analytics Institute in a brief interview from Houston, Texas. What follows are excerpts from the brief interview. EAI: Are US refiners benefiting from PDVSA’s refinery problems in Venezuela? Larry: We have seen production in […]

Q&A with Chevron LatAm’s Susana Brugada

(Energy Analytics Institute, Pietro D. Pitts, 7.Aug.2013) – Chevron Latin America Business Unit Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator Susana Brugada spoke with Energy Analytics Institute in a brief interview from Caracas, Venezuela. What follows are excerpts from the brief interview. EAI: Is Chevron continuing to export gas to Venezuela from […]

Ramirez Comments on Oil, Mining Sectors

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 27.Jul.2013) – Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez comments on development of the Orinoco Heavy Oil Belt and the Venezuelan mining sector. “The Faja project was a dream of Hugo Chavez and I swear that we will complete the project.” “We have establish order in the […]

Speech by Rafael Ramirez from Puerto Ordaz

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 27.Jul.2013) – PDVSA’s and Venezuela’s Oil Minister President Rafael Ramirez spoke at the closing of the Sixth National Production Meetings in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. What follows are excerpts from the speech. Speech by Rafael Ramirez on Venezuelan petroleum sector: Ramirez: At the closing event for […]

Q&A with Fitch’s Lucas Aristizabal

(Energy Analytics Institute, Pietro D. Pitts, 19.Jul.2013) – Fitch’s Latin America Corporates Group Director Lucas Aristizabal spoke with Energy Analytics Institute in a brief interview from New York City, New York. What follows are excerpts from the brief interview. Regarding PDVSA’s strategy to focus more attention on China: EAI: PDVSA […]

Rafael Ramirez Speech in from Cumana

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 18.Jul.2013) – PDVSA’s and Venezuela’s Oil Minister President Rafael Ramirez spoke with journalist in Cumana, Venezuela. What follows are excerpts from the discussion. Rafael Ramirez on Mariscal Sucre: Ramirez: PDVSA plans to send additional gas production from offshore (Mariscal Sucre) to thermoelectric plants in a […]

Citgo’s Garay Comments on PDVSA Imports

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 17.Jun.2013) – The Public Affairs Manager with Houston-based Citgo Petroleum, Fernando Garay, comments via phone regarding declining imports of Venezuelan crude oil in the U.S. “We are not worried about the prospect of declining oil supplies from our Caracas-based parent company PDVSA and have no […]

Q&A with Brookshire’s Gianna Bern

(Energy Analytics Institute, Pietro D. Pitts, 19.Jul.2013) – Brookshire Advisory and Research President Gianna Bern spoke with Energy Analytics Institute in a brief interview from Chicago, IL. What follows are excerpts from the brief interview. EAI: Do you think PDVSA will move to increase rates on Petrocaribe member countries that […]

Sinovensa Signs $4 Bln Financing Agreement

(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 12.Jul.2013) – Sinovensa President Erwin Hernandez and China’s Development Bank Vice President Wang Yongshen signed a financing agreement in Beijing for $4 million for the expansion of production at the company which is comprised of PDVSA and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC). ***

Japan, Venezuela Sign Energy MOU

(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 10.Jul.2013) – Venezuela’s Energy and Petroleum Minister Rafael Ramirez and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi meet in Tokyo to review advances under a MOU signed by Venezuela and Japan in 2007. Ramirez also met with the Jogmec President Hirobumi Kawanon and Inpex President Toshiaki Kitamura […]

Paraguana Refining Center Running at 717 Mb/d

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 6.Jul.2013) – With the five distillation plants at Amuay Refinery operating, average processing levels at the Paraguana Refining Center (CRP) were 717,000 b/d in June 2013, announced PDVSA Refining Director Jesus Luongo. The refinery was expected to be processing 736,000 b/d in July 2013. CRP […]

PDVSA Says Paraguana Wind Park Advances

(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 3.Jul.2013) – PDVSA initiated wind studies in 2007 and by December 2012 the company had 23 turbines in place with a processing capacity of 33 MW. Venezuela’s wind park in Paraguana currently consists of 76 wind turbines that produce 100 MW of clean energy and […]

Ecuador Open Market Meetings in Houston

(Energy Analytics Institute, Ian Silverman, 25.Jun.2013) – PetroEcuador holds open market committee meetings in Houston, Texas. Highlights from the discussion follow: Comments from PetroEcuador International Commerce Executive Nilsen Arias: “Oil’s contribution to the energy matrix was 85% in 2010, but will fall to 65-70% in 2013.” “Demand for gasoline, diesel […]

Citgo’s Garay Comments on PDVSA Imports

(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 17.Jun.2013) – The Public Affairs Manager with Houston-based Citgo Petroleum, Fernando Garay, comments via phone regarding declining imports of Venezuelan crude oil in the U.S. “We are not worried about the prospect of declining oil supplies from our Caracas-based parent company PDVSA and have no […]

Total Awarded License In Uruguay

(Total, 3.May.2012) — Total has been awarded an exploration license for Uruguay’s offshore Block 14, following the second bidding round held by the national company, ANCAP. This license remains subject to further approval by Uruguayan authorities. Block 14 has a surface area of 6,690 km² and is located in the […]

Galp Energia Inks E&P Deal In Uruguay

(Galp Energia, 2.Sep.2010) — Galp Energia and its consortium partners Petrobras and YPF have signed today in Montevideo, an exploration and production agreement for the Uruguayan continental platform with Acap, the national oil company of Uruguay. Galp Energia and its consortium partners Petrobras and YPF have signed today in Montevideo, […]

Venezuela Seizes Helmerich & Payne Rigs

(TulsaWorld, Rod Walton, 2.Jul.2010) – The action comes amid a payment dispute in which the company left the equipment idle. Helmerich & Payne’s 52-year business relationship with Venezuela came to at least a temporary end Thursday as President Hugo Chavez’s government seized 11 rigs owned by the Tulsa contract drilling […]

Petro-Canada Joins Venezuelan Oil Exodus

(Reuters, 26.Jun.2007) — Petro-Canada has pulled out of Venezuela by rejecting new nationalistic terms for oil projects and passing its stake in one discovery to President Hugo Chavez’s government, it said on Tuesday. “We have decided not to migrate to the new commercial structure, so our working interest passes to […]

Bolivia’s Nationalization of Oil and Gas

(Council on Foreign Relations, Carin Zissis, 12.May.2006) — In a region seen as turning leftward, forging alliances would seem a natural course of events. But Bolivian President Evo Morales’ decision to nationalize the oil and gas industry is exposing tensions, causing experts to say there is more diffusion than alliance-building […]