S&P Global Releases its 2024 Energy Outlook

(S&P Global, 14.Dec.2023)  — Analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights, an independent provider of information, data, analysis, benchmark prices and workflow solutions for the commodities, energy and energy transition markets, today released their latest 2024 energy outlook. OVERVIEW After years of turbulence, global markets are still striving to find sustainable […]

Global Economic Growth Slows Amid Gloomy Outlook

(IMF, 26.Jul.2022) — The global economy, still reeling from the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is facing an increasingly gloomy and uncertain outlook. Many of the downside risks flagged in our April World Economic Outlook have begun to materialize. Higher-than-expected inflation, especially in the United States and major European […]

CNOOC’s Production Hits Record High

(CNOOC Limited, 25.Mar.2021) — CNOOC Limited announced its 2020 annual results for the year ended 31 December 2020. In 2020, CNOOC Limited strengthened confidence, focused on its own development, proactively responded to the sharp drop in international oil prices and the impact of COVID-19 epidemic, and built up a strict […]

IMF: World Economic Outlook Update

(IMF, 31.Jan.2021) — The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects policy support and vaccines for Covid-19 to lift economic activity worldwide. Policy Support and Vaccines Expected to Lift Activity Although recent vaccine approvals have raised hopes of a turnaround in the pandemic later this year, renewed waves and new variants of […]

Global Witness Withdraws Guyana Report

(Global Witness, 11.Jan.2021) — The climate emergency is the greatest threat facing the world. If we are to prevent its worst impacts we all must act now. For Global Witness this has meant redirecting our efforts to fighting the main drivers of the climate crisis: deforestation, the extraction and burning […]

Petrobras Reports Record Production In 2020

(Petrobras, 7.Jan.2021) — Petrobras registered records in its 2020 annual oil production and total annual production (oil and gas) of, respectively, 2.28 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil and 2.84 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boed). The previous records occurred in 2015 and were 2.23 million bpd […]

Eurasia Group Publishes Top Risks For 2021

(Eurasia Group, 4.Jan.2021) — As we begin 2021, the United States is the most powerful, politically divided, and economically unequal of the world’s industrial democracies. China is America’s strongest competitor, a state capitalist, authoritarian, and techno-surveillance state that is increasingly mistrusted by most G20 countries. Germany and Japan are much […]

Citgo Plans Q4 2021 Overhaul At Corpus Christi Refinery

(Reuters, 21.Dec.2020) — Citgo Petroleum Corp plans an overhaul at its 167,500 barrel-per-day (bpd) Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery in the fourth quarter of 2021, the company said on Monday. The fourth-quarter 2021 turnaround could be rescheduled, Citgo said. Sources told Reuters on Friday that Citgo was postponing planned maintenance scheduled […]

Rescheduling Of Work In Corentyne Block, Guyana

(Frontera, 27.Nov.2020) — Frontera Energy Corporation and CGX Energy Inc, the joint venture partners, announce that their constructive and collaborative discussions with the Government of Guyana have been concluded with respect to the Corentyne block with a rescheduling of the Joint Venture’s work commitments regarding its Petroleum Prospecting License for […]

ExxonMobil To Reduce Staff Levels In Canada

(Exxon, 25.Nov.2020) — As part of an ongoing global review to identify cost efficiencies and improve long-term competitiveness, staffing levels will be reduced at ExxonMobil’s Canadian affiliates. It is anticipated that up to 300 positions will be impacted by the end of 2021 across the company’s affiliates in Canada, which […]

Nigeria In Recession, Impacted By COVID-19, Oil

(Reuters, 21.Nov.2020) — Nigeria has slipped into a recession after its gross domestic product contracted for the second consecutive quarter, according to data released on Saturday which showed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and low oil prices. Africa’s biggest economy was last in recession in 2016, its first in […]

ExxonMobil To Reduce US Staff Levels

(Exxon, 30.Oct.2020) — As part of an extensive global review announced earlier this year, the company plans to reduce staffing levels in the United States, primarily at its management offices in Houston, Texas. The company anticipates approximately 1,900 employees will be affected through voluntary and involuntary programs. The workforce reductions […]

Latin America Peers Warily Into US Election Mirror

(Argus, 30.Oct.2020) — The region’s recovery from Covid-19 will depend heavily on who is dictating US policy, writes Patricia Garip. Waves of political chaos that recurrently engulf Latin America were not supposed to wash up on stable US shores. Yet days before the 3 November election, the US is convulsed […]

Simón Bolívar Foundation Rejects Maduro Allegations

(Citgo, 30.Oct.2020) — Given the recent accusations made by representatives of the Nicolás Maduro regime, the Simón Bolívar Foundation, the private non-profit foundation of Citgo Petroleum Corporation, categorically rejects the allegations regarding the Foundation’s activities and its President Ms. Mariela Poleo, for being completely false and unfounded. The Simón Bolívar […]

Petrobras Boosts Production Outlook

(Reuters, 20.Oct.2020) — Brazilian state-run oil company Petrobras said on Tuesday that 2020 production should exceed previously disclosed estimates, as the firm ramps up production at some of its most prolific offshore oilfields. Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the company is formally known, said it expects to produce roughly 2.84 million […]

IMF OKs $6.5bn Extended Facility For Ecuador

(IMF, 1.Oct.2020) — The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a 27-month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) for Ecuador, with access equivalent to SDR 4.615bn (661% of quota, equivalent of $6.5bn). The Board’s approval allows for an immediate disbursement equivalent to $2bn, available to […]

PPSA Sale Plan Stokes Oil Contract Debate

(Argus, 12.Aug.2020) — The Brazilian government’s plan to sell state-owned pre-salt marketing company PPSA has stalled amid congressional foot-dragging over a change in pre-salt contract terms. Addressing reporters late yesterday, influential economy minister Paulo Guedes confirmed that the delay in selling the firm contributed to the departure of secretary Salim […]

Colombian Oil Major Reports Surprise Profits

(Oilprice.com, 12.Aug.202) — The March 2020 oil price crash and COVID-19 pandemic has hit the global energy sector hard. In response oil companies are slashing capital spending, driving down costs and shuttering uneconomic operations. The key goals being to preserve cash flow, shore-up balance sheets, protect dividend payments and retain […]

Saudi Arabia Turns Off America’s Oil Taps Again

(Bloomberg, 9.Aug.2020) — The strategy worked wonders in 2017. It will be more challenging this time around unless the pandemic eases its grip on oil demand. For the second time in three years, Saudi Arabia is slashing the volume of crude it’s sending to America in an attempt to force down […]

Trump Hits Wall With Bid To Place Ally At LatAm Bank

(Bloomberg, 7.Aug.2020) — Mexico called for delaying the election of a new chief for a key Latin American development bank amid controversy caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to have a close ally at the helm of the institution. Mexico’s finance ministry announced Friday its support for a postponement […]

Investors Want To Know: Colombia’s Negative Outlook

(Fitch Ratings, 22.Jul.2020) — Colombia’s sovereign metrics have deteriorated further since its April downgrade to ‘BBB-‘, underpinning the range of downside risks reflected in the country’s Negative Rating Outlook, says Fitch Ratings. The growth outlook and debt trajectory are particularly key for the rating, with growth facing significant downside risks […]

Petronas New Energy Teams Up with Nefin Group

(Petronas, 20.Jul.2020) — Following the launch of its first solar rooftop solution, M+ by Petronas last year, Petronas New Energy is now set to grow in the domestic renewable energy space with its first commercial customer, Tesco Stores (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (Tesco). In delivering its commitment to Tesco, Petronas New […]

Siemens To Establish Mobile Working As “New Normal”

(Siemens, 16.Jul.2020) — Siemens will establish mobile working as a core component of its “new normal” and will make it a permanent standard, both during the global pandemic and beyond. The company’s Managing Board has now approved implementation of a corresponding model. The aim is to enable employees worldwide to […]

MERNNR Extends Offers For El Aromo And Villonaco

(Energy Analytics Institute, 10.Jul.2020) — René Ortiz, the head of Ecuador’s Ministry of Energy and Non-Renewable Natural Resources (MERNNR) extended terms for the delivery of technical and economic offers — within the public selection processes for the concession for the El Aromo photovoltaic projects (200 megawatts) located in the province […]

Renewables Key To LatAm Economic Recovery

(Reve, 8.Jul.2020) — The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) will boost ties to put the renewables driven energy transformation at the heart of Latin America and the Caribbean’s economic recovery following the COVID-19 outbreak. The efforts build on an existing Memorandum of Understanding […]

Petrobras To Cut Over 20% Of Workforce

(Reuters, 1.Jul.2020) — Some 10,000 employees of Brazil’s Petrobras, or 22% of its workforce, have accepted voluntary buyouts, Chief Executive Roberto Castello Branco said on Wednesday, as the state-run oil company intensifies its quest to slim down and refocus on core businesses. In a webinar hosted by Brazilian newspaper Valor […]

Exxon Reduces Guyana Crude Production

(Tudor Pickering, 16.Jun.2020) — Reports out last night that XOM was forced to reduce output at its Liza Phase 1 project in the Stabroek block offshore Guyana due to an issue with equipment designed to limit excessive flaring by reinjecting produced gas back into the reservoir. In order to comply […]

Petrobras Refineries Near Pre-pandemic Levels

(Reuters, 12.Jun.2020) — Utilization rates at refineries owned by Brazil’s Petrobras are nearing pre-pandemic levels, as lower fuel imports by competitors and resilient international demand for bunker fuel provide a boost, the state-run company told Reuters on Friday. According to public data from last week, refineries owned by Petroleo Brasileiro […]

Pemex Continues With Tula Refinery Contingency

(Energy Analytics Institute, 3.Jun.2020) — Pemex’s “Miguel Hidalgo” refinery in Tula carried out preventive measures to mitigate the risks of the Covid-19 pandemic among its work force as well as personnel from contractor companies. Since commencement of contingency efforts, more than 10,000 face masks have been delivered at the entrance […]

Global LNG Demand Faces Seasonal Contraction

(WoodMac, 2.Jun.2020) — The global liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry is about to face its first seasonal demand contraction since 2012, with demand in summer 2020 expected to fall 2.7% or 3 million tonnes (Mt) year-on-year, says Wood Mackenzie. Lockdown measures and negative economic outlook stemming from the coronavirus pandemic […]

Petrobras Comments On Internal Event News

(Petrobras, 8.May.2020) — Petrobras in view of the news published today in the media regarding the meeting held on 05/06/2020 by the Executive Board in an internal event with the company’s employees, clarifies that it has been keeping the market informed about the actions on resilience adopted due to the […]

Global LNG Demand Resilient Amid COVID-19

(IHSMarkit, 30.Apr.2020) — The COVID19 pandemic has led to lockdowns across the globe and severe downgrades for short-term macroeconomic indicators. A major re-evaluation is needed for the supply and demand of each traded commodity and LNG is no exception. It is clear that natural gas demand will be negatively affected, […]

Petrobras Powers Past Oil Glut On China Sales

(Bloomberg, 29.Apr.2020) — Petrobras, Brazil’s state-controlled oil giant, is plowing through a global oil glut expecting that exports to China will soon rebound, and with extensive storage capacity helping it endure in the meantime. Demand destruction from the Covid-19 pandemic has prompted producers globally to shut in barrels nobody wants. […]

CSI Compressco Provides Financial And Ops Update

(CSI, 13.Apr.2020) — CSI Compressco LP announced that, in light of the current, significant macroeconomic uncertainty resulting from the recent decline in oil prices and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is withdrawing its previously issued financial guidance for full year 2020, which should no longer be relied upon. The Partnership […]

WoodMac On OPEC+ Production Plan

(WoodMac, 9.Apr.2020) — As OPEC+ agreed at cut of 10 million b/d, WoodMac’s Ann-Louise Hittle said: “A 10 million b/d cut would be very supportive of price over the second quarter. “Even a 5 million b/d reduction would see oil prices in the low $30s. It would ease pressure on […]

Brief Intro Remarks By OPEC Secretary General

(OPEC, 9.Apr.2020) — Delivered by HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, OPEC Secretary General, at the 9th (Extraordinary) OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting, 9 April 2020, via webinar. Excellencies, Over the course of the last few months, COVID-19 has pervaded almost every aspect of life. We see it in the lockdowns initiated […]

S&P Changes Petrobras’ Rating To Stable

(Petrobras, 7.Apr.2020) — Petrobras informs that S&P Global Ratings Agency (S&P) has changed the company’s global credit rating outlook from positive to stable, and has kept the risk level (rating) of corporate debt at “BB-“. Yesterday the agency revised Brazil’s global credit rating outlook to stable due to the impact […]

YPF Inks Deals With Ministries For Truckers

(Energy Analytics Institute, Aaron Simonsky, 25.Mar.2020) — YPF President Guillermo Nielsen signed an agreement with the representatives from Argentina’s ministries of Transportation, Security, Health, Interior and Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries; the National Commission for Transport Regulation; and the National Federation of Truck Workers, among other entities of the sector, to […]

Petrobras Reduces Workforce Amid Virus

(S&P Global Platts, 17.Mar.2020) — Brazilian state-led oil company Petrobras slashed administrative staff by at least 50%, including at operations units such as refineries and production facilities, amid expanding efforts across Latin America’s biggest country to limit social contact and avoid dissemination of COVID-19. “The measure seeks to contribute to […]