(ABC News, 16.Mar.2020) — Nicolás Maduro’s government on Monday banned gasoline sales in two states as part of a broader lock-down to stem panic buying by Venezuelans accustomed to hoarding basic goods whenever there’s a hint of turmoil. But his orders, which explicitly prohibit lines outside gas stations, were largely […]
Tag: Coronavirus
Ecuador Issues Sanitary Emergency Decree
(Energy Analytics Institute, Piero Stewart, 14.Mar.2020) — Ecuador’s government has issued a sanitary emergency decree in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to details revealed in an official statement from state oil company EP PetroEcuador. © Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved. ***
Pemex Received First Payment From Its Hedge
(Bloomberg, 12.Mar.2020) — Petroleos Mexicanos received its first payment from its annual oil hedge, as prices fell the most in three decades amid a producer battle for market share, and the fast-spreading coronavirus. Pemex protected its 2020 oil exports at an average of $49 a barrel, receiving the first payment […]
Pemex Receives First Oil Hedge Payout
(Reuters, 12.Mar.2020) — Mexican state oil firm Pemex said on Thursday it had received the first payment from a hedging program protecting its revenue from price swings, and that it has $7.85 billion available in credit lines, and will continue honoring debts to suppliers. Global oil prices have fallen to […]
Venezuela Offers Discounts As Prices Collapse
(Reuters, 10.Mar.2020) — Venezuela’s oil company PDVSA is this week offering discounts of up to $23 per barrel on its flagship crude, traders said, as a collapse in global oil prices puts more pressure on the state-run firm, already reeling from tightening U.S. sanctions. Petroleos de Venezuela had already been […]
Venezuela Cause Drifting Off International Agenda
(Argus, 10.Mar.2020) — Venezuela’s US-backed opposition is scrambling to stay relevant at home and abroad as the US and other foreign patrons turn inward to focus on slowing the spread of coronavirus and mitigating the economic fallout of an oil price collapse. In a bid to reinvigorate his movement, Juan […]
Oil Price Crash Spells Trouble For Trinidad
(Trinidad Express, 9.Mar.2020) — The oil price crash yesterday spells trouble for Trinidad and Tobago’s economy. University of the West Indies economist Dr Roger Hosein said the Government must immediately seek to have a contingency meeting and develop a “plan B” to deal with the financial crisis. It also must […]
Is 2020 The Year For Regime Change In Venezuela?
(FT, 7.Mar.2020) — There have been enough false dawns in Venezuela to deter any confident predictions but a series of developments — all energy related — suggest that 2020 could be the year when regime change might actually occur and the country could begin to resume its role at the […]
Ecopetrol Restricts Travel To Asia And Europe
(Reuters, 2.Mar.2020) — Colombia’s state-run oil company Ecopetrol SA placed restrictions on business travel to all Asian and European countries on Monday in response to the coronavirus outbreak, its chief executive told Reuters. The company is closely monitoring the effects of the virus on crude demand, Chief Executive Felipe Bayon […]
Coronavirus’ Greatest Upstream Impact: On Prices
(WoodMac, 27.Feb.2020) — The upstream oil and gas sector’s biggest commercial fear from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic is its impact on demand and prices. Only a small proportion of global supply comes from the worst-affected regions. Manufacturing shutdowns and shipping bottlenecks are causing project delays. Vessels and other large components […]