Latest News

Mexico's Pemex, Carlos Slim group fulfilled to discuss deepwater gas project -sources.

Mexican state energy company Pemex and billionaire financier Carlos Slim's team are going over ways to restore development of the country's first deepwater gas field that was shelved two times before, two sources informed .

The sources, both with direct knowledge of the matter, stated executives of business controlled by the Slim family met with Pemex on Tuesday to talk about the Gulf of Mexico gas field. Among the sources said the celebrations had accepted meet again.

The Lakach field has actually been hailed as a potential entrance to a. brand-new deepwater Mexican gas frontier. The sources said Pemex. declared it a top priority to discover a new partner after its last. pulled out at the end of in 2015.

Pemex wishes to develop the overseas field using a service. agreement where partners finance tasks in advance, a system. used prior to the country's energy sector opening during, one of. the sources stated.

It was unclear whether Pemex and Slim's companies plan to. move on with the job or whether others would be. included. The sources stated Pemex had actually reached out to other. companies, too.

Pemex did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for Slim decreased to comment.

Slim, whose empire extends from telecommunications to mining. to retail, has been increasing his involvement in the energy. sector given that last year with stakes in shallow water fields Zama,. Ichalkil and Pokoch.

Throughout an unusual public appearance in Mexico City last month,. Slim stated he was interested in being partners with someone with. experience.

Slim owns stakes in numerous business that might participate. in the Lakach field, consisting of construction companies FCC and. IDEAL, which one source said went to the Tuesday conference.

However, both sources stated Pemex and Slim would still likely. require another company with deepwater competence.

revealed in November that Pemex and U.S. liquefied. gas company New Fortress Energy terminated a deal to. Due to the fact that the parties might not come to an, establish the field. contract on terms including prices.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said the field. could be essential for supplying much-needed gas to Mexico and. bringing the country more detailed to energy self-sufficiency. Located. some 90 kilometers (56 miles) from the Gulf port of Veracruz, it. holds an estimated 900 billion cubic feet of gas.

So far, Pemex has invested $1.4 billion on it. Plans to produce. gas there were also shelved in 2016, after it was deemed too. expensive.

Officials from the oil regulator and Pemex have likewise been at. chances over how to develop the Lakach field.

reviewed 5 internal evaluations the regulator. conducted in between 2015 and 2022. In these, authorities repeatedly. raised concerns over whether the it would be economically. technically practical and feasible.

In one document, dated October 2022, authorities at the. regulator advised Pemex to submit extra details about. what programs will be implemented to alleviate threats and. ensure the success of the job.

They kept in mind a lack of deepwater gas knowledge as well as. Missing out on studies of the field and its facilities; they. raised concerns over already sunken expenses and whether the. project would ever turn a profit offered low gas rates.

In another file, dated the exact same month, authorities cautioned. of uncertainty over the volume of gas the field actually holds,. consisting of contrasting assessments of tested reserves, which. outcomes of some trials differed what Pemex had projected.

(source: Reuters)