LatAmOil - Latin America Oil & Gas

Petrobras comments on timing, progress of refinery sales

Brazil’s national oil company (NOC) Petrobras said earlier this week it had not yet given final approval to amendments to its agreements with the Administrative Council for Economic Defence (CADE) on the sale of eight oil refineries.

PetroTal extends oil sales contract with Petroperu by two years

Canada’s PetroTal has extended the term of its crude oil sales contract with Petroperu, the national oil and gas regulatory agency of Peru, by two years.

YPF prepares for talks on debt restructuring, securities swap

Argentina’s national oil company (NOC) YPF is gearing up for talks with creditors on a debt restructuring deal that may include a voluntary bond swap proposed earlier this month.

BHP confirms failure of Broadside-1 well

Australia’s BHP has revealed that it did not find any hydrocarbons in Broadside-1, a well drilled last year at Block 3 offshore Trinidad and Tobago.

PdVSA invites private Venezuelan companies to operate some of its oilfields

Venezuela’s government has reportedly offered to let small, privately owned companies operate fields assigned to state-owned PdVSA in a bid to prop up sagging production levels.

NRG: LNG spikes, political swings and new technologies

ExxonMobil’s Hassa-1 well proves disappointing

The US super-major ExxonMobil has reportedly experienced a disappointment at Hassa-1, a well drilled at the Stabroek block offshore Guyana.

Total makes fourth oil find at Block 58

France’s Total and its US-based partner Apache revealed last week that they had struck oil for the fourth time in the Keskesi-1 well at Block 58 offshore Suriname.

What’s next for the Venezuelan sanctions regime?

The incoming Biden administration is likely to take a softer approach to Venezuelan sanctions, but opposition leader Guaido will continue to play a role in US policy discussions .

NFE to acquire LNG and power assets in Brazil, along with Golar LNG

US-based New Fortress Energy (NFE) is set to raise its profile through the acquisition of LNG and power-generating assets in Brazil and of another company, Golar LNG, also known as GMLP.

PGS to reprocess 2D seismic data from Pelotas, Punta del Este basins

Norway’s PGS has agreed to reprocess more than 11,000 km of existing 2D seismic data under a new agreement with ANCAP, the national oil company (NOC) of Uruguay.

Apache to assign Latin American assets to holding company

US-based Apache said last week that it intended to assign its assets in Suriname and the Dominican Republic to a new holding that will be known as APA Corp.

Crown Point, Centaurus plan merger to boost profile in Argentina

Crown Point Energy and Centaurus Energy have announced plans to merge in order to strengthen their position in Argentina, where they are working to develop conventional and unconventional oil and gas fields.

Petrobras production hits all-time high in 2020

Brazil’s national oil company (NOC) Petrobras said last week that its production levels had reached record highs in 2020.

Failed gas supply talks lead Methanex to idle Titan methanol plant

Canada’s Methanex is preparing to scale back its presence in Trinidad and Tobago, keeping the Titan methanol plant idle after failing to hammer out a natural gas supply deal with state-owned NGC.

RdK begins talks with consortium on sale of Isla refinery

Refineria di Korsou (RdK), the government-run operator of Curaçao’s only oil-processing plant, has announced plans to begin negotiations with another bidder for the sale of its main assets.

Echo Energy, GTLI sign Bolivian co-operation agreement

UK-based Echo Energy signed an agreement last week with GTL International (GTLI), a fully-owned subsidiary of Bolivia’s UruboCorp, on co-operation in the Bolivian energy sector.

Fluxys to acquire minority stake in GASBOL from EIG

EIG Global Energy Partners has agreed to sell its 27.5% stake in Transportadora Brasileira Gasoduto Bolívia-Brasil (TBG), the owner and operator of the Brazilian section of the Bolívia-Brazil natural gas pipeline.

NRG: Pushing ahead with plans

Companies and countries alike are taking steps forward with various oil and gas plans, though some continue to tread carefully in uncertain market conditions.

Mexico issues new rules restricting private fuel imports

New regulations have come into force in Mexico restricting the volume of petroleum products that private firms are allowed to import, as part of a wider campaign to make the country less dependent on other countries for its fuel.

Petrobras collects BRL232.6mn from Vitol settlement

Brazil's state-run oil and gas company Petrobras has received BRL232.6mn ($43mn) in a settlement with global energy trading firm Vitol in relation to the ongoing Lava Jato (Car Wash) corruption scandal.

Signs of improvement for PetroTal in Peru

PetroTal’s outlook for the Bretana oilfield is brighter, thanks to Lima’s new agreement with indigenous communities and the opening of a new export route through Brazil.

Enauta takes control of offshore Atlanta field

The Brazilian independent player Enauta Participações has taken 100% ownership of Block BS-4, which contains the offshore Atlanta field, following its partner Barra Energia’s decision to withdraw from the block last November.

US sanctions drive Halliburton to remove all Venezuela staff

Houston-based Halliburton, one of the world’s largest oilfield services providers, has reportedly removed all staff from its offices in Venezuela in light of US sanctions policy.

Shell set to operate three deepwater blocks offshore Colombia

Colombia’s National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), has named a local subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell (UK/Netherlands) as the operator of exploration and production contracts covering three new deepwater licence areas.