Latin American oil, gas policies remain in flux

摘要

Oil and gas producing countries in Latin America have adopted diverse approaches to energy policy and the extent to which international companies are allowed to invest or operate in conjunction with the various national oil companies. Privatization and deregulation were common in the early 1990s as Latin America governments tended to allow increased participation by international oil and gas companies. Mexico needs to offset declining production in Cantarell field and elsewhere. Pemex expects to see deepwater production around 2015. Pernex said this month that Chicontepec averaged 707 operating wells in 2008 and 35 drilling rigs as of January 2009. Two consecutive Brazilian presidents maintained flexible oil and gas regulations and partial privatization of Petroleos Brasileiro SA (Petrobras), said David R. Mares, Baker Institute scholar and a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego. Energy policy reforms were part of a broader overall reform that Argentina launched in 1990 when most state companies in all industries were privatized.