Mexico fully expects to reach a consensus on NAFTA trade deal

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FROM: CNBC / Sam Meredith / 22 April 2018

Mexico believes it is on the brink of agreeing to the modernization of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Alongside the U.S. and Canada, Mexico is in the midst of eight-month-old talks to try to update the NAFTA deal — which is thought to underpin about $1.2 trillion in yearly trilateral trade.

“In the baseline scenario of the central bank, we have that there will be a version of NAFTA,” Mexican Central Bank Governor Alejandro Diaz de Leon told CNBC’s Joumanna Bercetche on Saturday.

“We know that there have been ups and downs in the negotiation … (But) we do hope that the advantages for the three countries will prevail in some version of the agreement,” he added.

Rules of origin

In an apparent bid to try to quickly wrap up the reworking of the 24-year-old accord, leading Mexican officials have sought to convey an upbeat tone in recent days.

Late last week, Mexico’s Economy Minister, Ildefonso Guajardo, said lawmakers had made “a lot of progress” after the second day of meetings with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canada’s Chrystia Freeland. And on Sunday, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said his country was feeling optimistic about the prospect of being able to successfully conclude the talks in the coming weeks.

Canada’s Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland (C) speaks before the start of a trilateral meeting with Mexico’s Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo (L) and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer during the third round of NAFTA talks involving the United States, Mexico and Canada in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, September 27, 2017.

Ministers from the U.S., Canada and Mexico are trying to press ahead with the negotiations in order to try to avoid clashing with a presidential election in Mexico on July 1. Nonetheless, reaching this milestone would mean overcoming major differences on several U.S. demands.

Canada and Mexico have battled with the U.S. over their apparent reluctance to adhere to tougher NAFTA regulations on the content of vehicles made in North American nations. Often referred to as the rules of origin, it is widely considered to be a key sticking point to the talks.

President Donald Trump’s negotiators had initially called for tariffs on the content of vehicles made in NAFTA nations to increase to 85 percent from 62.5 percent. However, Washington’s stance over this issue has reportedly softened in an effort to reach a consensus with their North American neighbors sooner rather than later.

Market has ‘priced in’ NAFTA outcome

The U.S. was thought to be looking to secure a deal in principle with the NAFTA agreement sometime over the next three weeks. Meanwhile, Mexico’s Guajardo said he saw an 80 percent chance of reaching a deal by the first week of May.

Trump, who has repeatedly threatened to walk away from the negotiating table in the absence of major changes, has criticized the pact for creating jobs in Mexico at the expense of U.S. workers.

When asked to what extent it had been a challenge to manage Mexico’s currency at a time when tweets from the U.S. president could prompt volatile swings in the exchange rate, Mexico’s Diaz de Leon replied: “Obviously some of these news and posture and messages have an effect on the exchange rate, but I also think the exchange rate has been learning how to extract the signal from those pieces of information.”

“So far, the market has priced in the NAFTA event according to what is likely to happen,” he added.

FROM: CNBC / Sam Meredith / 22 April 2018

 

 

Spanish oil company Repsol enters the Mexican market

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FROM: El Sol de México / The Yucatán Times / 20 April 2018

Seven gas stations in Baja California Sur will start operating soon under the brand name of the Spanish company “Repsol”. These openings are added to others in Mexico City, State of Mexico, Veracruz and Puebla.

In total, Repsol will be opening more than 60 stations, in addition to those already operating in the CDMX.

The company has proposed to invest 8 billion pesos in the opening of 250 service stations per year until 2022. The objective, according to the company, is to reach a market share of 8 to 10% in five years, which includes the opening of gas stations and invest in the development of new oil industry infrastructure.

Of the 11, 925 service stations operating in the country, 22% (2,651) are already working under 39 new brands, as announced by the commissioner president of the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), Guillermo García Alcocer

At the beginning of March, Repsol opened its first 10 service stations in Mexico City and already has agreements for the opening of 25 additional stations, in the CDMX metropolitan area.

Im alliance with OctanFuel group, formed by more than 300 local entrepreneurs, Repsol will open their first gas stations in Veracruz and Puebla.

As other companies have done, Repsol will offer Neotech fuels in its stations, a formula that, according to the company itself, will bring the accumulated experience in the most demanding motor competitions, such as the World Motorcycle World, the Dakar or the Formula 1 Championships.

Repsol assures that they have installed new own manufactured pumps in their gas stations, where they have installed the Repsol Safe Station System for volumetric control, to reinforce billing and remote monitoring of the pumps.

In addition to distributing its lubricants, in the area of ​​exploration and production of hydrocarbons six exploration blocks were awarded to Repsol in the oil bidding rounds, in partnership with local companies.

FROM: El Sol de México / The Yucatán Times / 20 April 2018

Los beneficios sociales de la Reforma Energética

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Cuando se promulgó la Reforma Energética a finales del año 2014, fueron diversos los beneficios sociales anunciados por el Gobierno Federal, entre los que se encontraban: 1) la creación de empleos; 2); el aumento de recursos públicos que serían utilizados para la construcción de escuelas, hospitales y el mejoramiento de servicios públicos en general, y 3) el aprovechamiento sustentable de los recursos naturales.

A poco más de tres años de la puesta en marcha de la Reforma Energética, es importante preguntarse si estos beneficios se han cumplido o tienen posibilidades de hacerse realidad, lo anterior, teniendo como base la idea de que estamos hablando de un proyecto de largo plazo, cuyas bondades requieren de tiempo para madurar. No obstante, podemos mencionar algunos datos que ya es posible vislumbrar.

Actualmente, más de 70 empresas nacionales e internacionales se encuentran realizando actividades para la exploración y extracción (E&E) de hidrocarburos en México, a través de los más de 100 contratos que ya se han adjudicado en los procesos de licitación organizados por la Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (CNH), y que se traducen en inversiones comprometidas de más de 200 mil millones de dólares.

Todas estas empresas requieren de una variedad de servicios y personal capacitado para llevar a cabo sus operaciones en nuestro país, lo que trae consigo la creación y/o reactivación económica de empresas mexicanas, así como empleo para diversos profesionistas en lo individual; esto además, facilita a los contratistas cumplir con sus obligaciones de contenido nacional. De acuerdo a estimaciones de la Secretaría de Energía, se espera la creación de 230 mil a 900 mil empleos durante los próximos 15 años[1].

En cuanto a mayores recursos públicos para el Estado, los contratos de E&E, prevén diversas contraprestaciones a su favor, entre las que se encuentran regalías, bonos y pago de impuestos; además, México obtiene, en promedio, el 70% de utilidad de los mencionados contratos[2]. Hoy en día ya es posible hablar de importantes éxitos como el pozo Zama, perforado por la empresa Sierra Oil & Gas, de capital mexicano, el cual es definido como uno de los más grandes descubrimientos de los últimos 20 años; o el campo de la empresa italiana Eni, que ha resultado ser más productivo de lo que inicialmente se pronosticó. Dichos éxitos se verán reflejados también en las finanzas públicas.

Por último, en cuanto al objetivo de aprovechar sustentablemente los recursos naturales, la Agencia de Seguridad, Energía y Ambiente (ASEA) ha puesto especial atención en regular los aspectos relacionados con la seguridad industrial y protección ambiental, a fin de procurar que las actividades de la industria de los hidrocarburos no causen daños a terceros, en sus bienes y personas, instalaciones y medio ambiente.

Una de las medidas tomadas al respecto consiste en la obligación que tienen los operadores del sector hidrocarburos de contratar seguros de responsabilidad civil- ambiental y control de pozos, una efectiva garantía financiera, cuyo propósito es asegurar que contarán con los recursos necesarios para reparar los daños que causen en el desarrollo de sus actividades.

En NRGI Broker hemos participado activamente en la Reforma Energética y conocemos su regulación. Para contratar seguros, acércate a nosotros, somos los expertos y con gusto te atenderemos.

[1] https://www.animalpolitico.com/2018/02/900-mil-empleos-pemex/

[2] https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/Enfatizan-beneficios-de-reforma-energetica-20171206-0020.html

Trudeau meets with Mexican president at critical time in NAFTA talks

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From: Lee Berthiaume / The Canadian Press / Times Colonist / 13 April

 

LIMA, Peru — Two of the three political leaders with the most at stake at the NAFTA table huddled Friday behind closed doors, their most senior trade lieutenants alongside, in hopes of unlocking a mutually beneficial solution to the cross-border conundrum posed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto gathered on the sidelines of a major international summit in Peru’s capital, along with Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and Mexico’s economy secretary Ildefonso Guajardo.

 U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer pulled out of the summit at the last minute, sending his deputy, C. J. Mahoney, in his place.

The sit-down, the first face-to-face between the two leaders since November, comes at a critical time, with Canada, Mexico and the U.S. all looking for a breakthrough in the ongoing effort to update the North American Free Trade Agreement — and Trump’s wild-card trade strategies doing little to clear the air.

It was also a chance for Trudeau to take stock of Mexico’s position — and perhaps share strategies — before the prime minister heads into a meeting Saturday with U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence.

Pence is in Peru instead of Trump, who was originally scheduled to attend but decided against it at the last minute, ostensibly to deal with the American response to a chemical attack in Syria. Earlier this week, Trump said he was prepared to “renegotiate forever” to get a good NAFTA deal.

Trudeau and Pena Nieto made small talk as members of the media captured the start of their meeting.

But the presence of several senior Mexican trade officials, as well as Freeland — Trudeau’s most trusted point person on NAFTA — left little doubt about the subject that would dominate the agenda once the doors were closed.

Trudeau’s meetings with Pena Nieto and Pence come as the three are attending the Summit of the Americas, which is held every four years and brings together leaders from across the Western Hemisphere.

The prime minister started his day Thursday by meeting Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra, who served as Peru’s ambassador to Canada before the previous president was forced to resign over a scandal last month.

Trudeau delivered a 10-minute address to business leaders from across the Americas encouraging them to invest in Canada, noting that the country has free trade agreements with dozens of countries around the world.

Even as his government struggles to deal with a pipeline crisis at home, one that has forced him to return to Canada on Sunday before resuming his travels to Europe, Trudeau pitched his country as a great place to invest, telling hundreds of business leaders “that big things can get done in Canada.”

More than half the countries with which Canada has free trade agreements are in the Americas, Trudeau said, and the hope is to add a deal with Latin America’s largest trading bloc, Mercosur, to that tally.

“Even in this age where the value of trade is being questioned by some, we have successfully negotiated landmark agreements with Europe and with Asia,” Trudeau added — a not-so subtle dig at protectionists like Trump.

The prime minister went on to emphasize Canada’s skilled labour force, low unemployment and debt-to-GDP ratio, recent federal investments in infrastructure and a new investment agency as proof that Canada is open for business.

The message appeared well received, and Kenneth Frankel, president of the Canadian Council for the Americas, said the region offers a natural opportunity for Canada — particularly as it looks for a northern partner who isn’t Trump.

Yet Siegfried Kiefer, president of Calgary-based engineering firm Atco Ltd., said Latin American leaders have told him they need massive new investments in infrastructure to grow their economies first.

On that front, Canada’s own record on infrastructure and “national-interest projects” has room for improvement, Kiefer said, including Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, which is at the centre of a fierce battle between the Alberta and B.C. governments.

“The business community is generally looking for proof in the pudding,” he said.

“The public unrest relative to some of these projects is really what you’re trying to deal with. And that in my mind deals with how do you gain the trust of the people of the country that you have looked at the merits of the project objectively.”

Trudeau’s day also included hosting a lunch with representatives from the 15-country Caribbean Community, where he announced $25 million in new funding to help the region deal with natural disasters such as hurricanes.

The prime minister is also scheduled to meet with Chilean President Sebastien Pinera, who took office in March and whose country is an important political and trade partner with Canada.

From: Lee Berthiaume / The Canadian Press / Times Colonist / 13 April

International Energy Forum: Mexico eyes strong energy ties with India

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From:Jyoti Mukul  / Business-standard / 12 April 

Mexico is looking to enhance its energy ties with India through greater participation of Indian companies, especially in meeting its gasoline deficit.

The Latin American country will conduct its first shale auction in September, but before that it will carry out another round of auction of onshore conventional blocks in July, in which Indian companies are likely to take part. Mexico is among the top five crude oil suppliers to India.

In an interview with Business Standard, Aldo Flores-Quiroga, deputy minister for hydrocarbons, Mexico, said, “Indian companies can participate in the full value chain. We have investment requirement in upstream, mid-stream and downstream. Mexico has opened up the sector through a competitive and transparent process.”

Mexico’s shale blocks are in Burgos Basin, in the northwestern border state of Tamaulipas, where state-owned oil company Pemex has drilled some 20 exploratory wells. The Mexican basin is considered an extension of America’s Eagle Ford basin, which revolutionised shale gas and oil production. Flores-Quiroga said Mexico was a net importer of natural gas and gasoline (petrol). “Mexico is the sixth largest market for petroleum products in the world, and it imports 60-70 per cent of its gasoline requirement. So there is an opportunity for investment,” he said.

Almost three years ago, Mexico started opening up the oil sector after 60 years. “Response from inside and outside Mexico has been amazing. We had one company that was in charge of the full value chain. Now, we have over 150 national and international companies in the oil sector. Those companies have announced investment commitment close to $200 billion so far, of which $150 billion is in upstream,” he said, adding, “Should they reach the commercial stage, we will see $150 billion invested over the life of project.”

The minister said it was a similar story in the mid and downstream sectors. Its natural gas market has over 60 registered participants and 24 companies engaged in daily transactions. “The gasoline market, where we would like India to participate, has also been transformed. We had one gasoline brand, now we have 40,” he said.

The country, he said, still needed to “find depth in storage and distribution segment”. “We have a lag in the energy infrastructure. With this opening, we expect to see more investment to improve the logistics segment.”

Entering the Mexican market, however, could be tricky, as a change in the political regime is scheduled for July. The front-running Left leaning party said it would review the liberal investment policy in the oil sector. The deputy minister, nonetheless, ruled out any change in policy, stating it was supported by the country’s constitution. Besides, there are independent trade commissions.

 

From:Jyoti Mukul  / Business-standard / 12 April 

El descontrol de pozos ¿un riesgo catastrófico?

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Un descontrol de pozo ocurre cuando la presión de la formación[1] es mayor a la presión del fluido de control, lo que provoca un reventón o blow out, que no puede manejarse a voluntad.

El descontrol de un pozo es el evento más indeseado en materia de actividades petroleras, por las consecuencias catastróficas que se pueden desencadenar, tales como pérdida de vidas humanas, pérdida del pozo y del equipo de perforación, así como daños al medio ambiente.

El caso de mayores proporciones que se ha vivido recientemente en el mundo fue el Deepwater Horizon, en Estados Unidos. El 20 de abril de 2010, la empresa británica British Petroleum (BP) se encontraba realizando operaciones de exploración de aguas profundas en el pozo Macondo, ubicado a 75 kilómetros de la costa de Luisiana, cuando un escape de gas provocó una explosión de la plataforma semi-sumergible Deepwater Horizon con un incendio que duró 36 horas. Millones de barriles de petróleo fueron derramados, en una superficie de entre 86,500 y 180,000 kilómetros cuadrados; fallecieron 11 personas y otras más resultaron heridas.

Este siniestro es considerado uno de los peores en la industria del petróleo, no sólo por los daños directos provocados, sino también por los perjuicios resultantes, tales como la afectación a las actividades pesquera y turística.

En México no existen cifras oficiales acerca de qué tan frecuentemente se descontrola un pozo, pero el peor caso conocido hasta ahora fue el del Ixtoc I. El 3 de junio de 1979, mientras se llevaban a cabo los trabajos de perforación del pozo Ixtoc I de Petróleos Mexicanos, se produjo el descontrol del pozo, lo que ocasionó un incendio de gran magnitud y el derrame de más de 3 millones de barriles de crudo. El evento provocó que el petróleo llegara hasta las costas de Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz y Tamaulipas e incluso a algunas zonas de Texas, por las que Estados Unidos solicitó compensación.

Para evitar un acontecimiento de este tipo que sin duda puede llegar a ser catastrófico, las empresas petroleras implementan diversas medidas de seguridad industrial y seguridad operativa, mediante la aplicación de sistemas adecuados de fluidos de perforación, equipos de medición y control de parámetros, y personal debidamente capacitado; no obstante la posibilidad de se origine el descontrol de un pozo es un riesgo latente.

De ahí la importancia de que las empresas petroleras cuenten con un programa integral de seguros, que les permita afrontar las consecuencias de un siniestro, sin poner en riesgo la rentabilidad de la compañía.

En NRGI Broker, somos expertos en programas integrales de seguros para empresas petroleras. Acércate a nosotros, con gusto te atenderemos.

[1] Por formación se entiende la estructura rocosa en la que se encuentra el hidrocarburo.

LOS SEGUROS QUE SE REQUIEREN EN LA MIGRACIÓN DE LOS CONTRATOS DE PEMEX

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La Reforma Energética, le dio la facultad a Pemex de elegir entre las diversas alternativas existentes,  la más conveniente para operar los campos  que recibió en la Ronda Cero.

Toda vez que se trata de operar en un esquema distinto al que utilizo por muchos años, el término elegido para referirse a estas alternativas, es el de “migración”, de tal manera que Pemex puede elegir entre “migrar sin socio” o “migrar con socio”.

La migración sin socio implica únicamente adoptar las nuevas características de los contratos de exploración y extracción, lo que para Pemex implica obtener mejores condiciones fiscales.

La migración con socio, se puede realizar por dos vías: 1) A través de asociaciones estratégicas con empresas petroleras “Farmouts”, para lo cual es necesaria la realización de un proceso de licitación pública, organizado por la Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (CNH)  o, 2) mediante la conversión de los Contratos Integrales de Producción y Servicios (CIEPS) y Contratos de Obra Pública Financiada (COPF) -que son contratos de servicios que se pagan en efectivo y no están ligados a la producción- a Contratos de Exploración y Extracción (CE&E) para operar bajo las modalidades de licencia, utilidad compartida o producción compartida.

Este último esquema es opcional para los contratistas, toda vez que de conformidad con el artículo transitorio vigésimo octavo de la Ley de Hidrocarburos, los CIEP´s y COPF´s“… no sufrirían modificación alguna en sus términos y condiciones”, pero las partes están en su derecho de solicitar conjuntamente a la Secretaría de Energía (SENER), la migración de la asignación a un CE&E, sin necesidad de agotar un procedimiento de licitación, sino simplemente con base en los lineamientos técnicos y condiciones económicas establecidos por la SENER y la Secretaría de Hacienda y Crédito Público, respectivamente.

La migración, entonces, implica adoptar un nuevo esquema contractual con ciertas ventajas (como las fiscales), pero también con todas las obligaciones derivadas del CE&E. Una de ellas es la contratación de los seguros.

Si bien es cierto, que los contratistas de Pemex debían contar con seguros aún en el esquema anterior, ahora la obligación que nace del CE&E está regulada a través de las Disposiciones  Administrativas de Carácter General en materia de Seguros (DACGS), donde se establecen los elementos, características y montos con los que deben contar los seguros.

Es importante poner especial atención en la contratación de seguros en los esquemas con socios, ya que si bien la obligación formal de la contratación de los seguros recae en el operador, los socios deberán realizar su aportación de acuerdo con su porcentaje de participación.

Son diversas las particularidades de la contratación de seguros para las migraciones, por eso NRGI Broker, te ofrece la asesoría que necesitas para cumplir sin contratiempos ante las autoridades reguladoras.

En NRGI Broker, somos expertos en seguros para exploración y extracción. Acércate a nosotros, con gusto te atenderemos.

Mexico’s Sureste Basin Returns To Super Basin Spotlight

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From: Hartenergy / 6 April

HOUSTON—The flurry of bidding activity from oil and gas companies willing to shell out millions of dollars for drilling rights in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) during Mexico’s latest bidding round showed there must still be something special about the Sureste (Southeast) Basin.

“I’ve never seen a structure like it in my career,” Mark Shann, subsurface director for Sierra Oil and Gas, said of Sureste during the AAPG’s recent Global Super Basins Leadership conference.

The multiplay basin, which includes prolific sub-basins such as Sonda de Campeche and Chiapas-Tabasco, spans about 65,000 sq km and is believed to hold 50 billion barrels of recoverable oil in the GoM’s shallow water and beyond. Its oil-prone prowess gained prominence in 1976 with Mexico’s game-changing Cantarell oil field discovery. Since then the basin has served as the main hydrocarbon-bearing province for Mexico, which is working to reverse declining production with global players eagerly chomping at the bit in search of oil.

RELATED: Southeast Basin Lures Oil Companies To Mexico’s Shallow Water

The historic Zama discovery made in 2017 by a Talos Energy-led consortium that includes Sierra and Premier Oil and another discovery—Amoca—by Italy’s Eni in 2017 have kept the basin in the spotlight, indicating it still has more to give. The Zama well, the first well drilled by the private sector since Mexico opened its doors to foreign investors, hit 170 m to 200 m (558 ft to 656 ft) of net oil pay in Upper Miocene sandstones. Initial gross original oil in place estimates ranged from 1.4 billion barrels (Bbbl) to 2 Bbbl.

Some would call it the rebirth of a super basin.

Shann said the basin—along with neighboring Tampico-Misantla—has all the qualities of a super basin.

“If you’re going to go into a super basin, you need at least one fantastic source rock and it has to be a mature source rock,” Shann said. He added that multiple reservoirs are also needed. “Having multiple reservoirs takes away the dependency of one reservoir working out or not, and you need seals to hold back hydrocarbons in their reservoirs.”

Having a diversity of traps is fantastic, he added, noting other attributes also define a super basin. These include having a regulatory framework in which to make the entire business work and super data, something Shann said Sureste Basin has plenty.

“Four years ago when we started our company we couldn’t get all seismic data from the country. Today you can access all the seismic,” Shann said. “You can access any well that is older than two years, and there are 39,000 wells in the country. The ability mine data and therefore to compete on an equal level playing field is hugely important,” especially for a small company competing against supermajors.

Sierra has picked up 11,000 sq km of wide azimuth data from Schlumberger and source rock is visible, he said. “The super data has really helped to underpin a story of success in one of the world’s greatest super basins.”

Today Sierra is focused mainly on Sureste, which Shann said extends beyond shallow and into deepwater.

The company said on its website that Sureste’s original oil and gas in place is about 220 Bboe, and the fact that it has numerous mature fields—including Ku Maloob Zaap and Sihil—and little reinvestment signals “significant opportunity for growth.”

Its reservoirs are associated with structural, salt tectonics, stratigraphic and combined traps, and the main structural styles include normal faulting with rotated blocks (Late Miocene-Holocene), salt cored anticlines and salt rollers and diapirs (Jurassic-Late Cretaceous), according to Mexico’s National Hydrocarbons Commission.

In terms of source rock potential, Shann said “we’re definitely in a super basin.” He spoke about how the Zama discovery shed more light on source rock thickness. Taking into account a conservative 50% migration loss among other factors, the company was able to determine the source rock must be about 200 m thick.

Shann said the company and its partners’ plan to test the Jurassic next year.

“Sureste is one of those amazing salt-related basins,” he added, speaking highly of the carbonate potential of the basin in Mexican waters and on the U.S. side. “I think we can still find some big carbonate fields in the Campeche Slope.”

Located about 37 miles offshore, Zama is between Eni’s Amoca appraisal well in the Lower Pliocene and Pan American’s Hokchi 2 in the Middle Miocene.

“Between the three of us, we’re exploiting different parts of this basin, which helps the industry’s understanding of the whole basin,” Talos CEO Tim Duncan told Hart Energy’s Oil and Gas Investor last summer.

RELATED: Talos Energy CEO Talks About Historic Zama Well

Talos, which will merge with Stone Energy, said in its March 15 fourth-quarter earnings release that the company is in the appraisal planning stages for the Zama-1 discovery. Zama-1 is located in Block 7 of the Sureste Basin at a water depth of about 165 m.

Other exploration opportunities exist, according to Talos.

Talos holds a 35% participating interest with Sierra holding 40% and Premier, 25%.

From: Hartenergy / 6 April

 

Mexico’s economy minister says odds of a Nafta deal ‘in principle’ at 80%

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From: Market Watch / 9 April

Mexico’s economy minister, Ildefonso Guajardo, said in a TV interview on Monday that the likelihood of signing a renegotiated pact ‘in principle’ on the North American Free Trade Agreement is about 80%. Guajardo, however, said he didn’t expect a Nafta deal would be struck this week, but would likely be signed around the first week of May. He speculated that the U.S. and would be inclined to complete a deal ahead of coming midterm elections. Nafta negotiators are currently meeting in Washington, D.C., for their eighth round of talks. Last week, President Donald Trump said he was looking for a deal in principle at the Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, next week. The Mexican peso USDMXN, -0.3324% which started Monday’s session weaker, climbed 0.2% higher versus the dollar, with one buck fetching 18.2450 pesos. The iShares MSCI Mexico ETF EWW, +1.29% was up 0.5% in response.

From: Market Watch / 9 April

 

 

¿Cuánto costó el derrame del Deepwater Horizon?

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El 20 de abril de 2010, la empresa británica British Petroleum (BP) realizaba operaciones de exploración de aguas profundas en el pozo petrolero “Macondo”, ubicado a 75 kilómetros de la costa de Luisiana, cuando se produjo un escape de gas, que provocó una explosión y posteriormente un incendio que duró 36 horas y terminó con el hundimiento de la plataforma semi-sumergible Deepwater Horizon.

Las consecuencias fueron graves: millones de barriles de petróleo derramados en el mar, lo que provocó una superficie contaminada de entre 86,500 y 180,000 kilómetros cuadrados que pudo contenerse casi tres meses después de la tragedia; afectación a especies animales, algunas de ellas en peligro de extinción; el fallecimiento de 11 personas y otras más que resultaron heridas.

Este siniestro es considerado uno de los peores en la industria del petróleo, no sólo por los daños directos provocados, sino también por los perjuicios resultantes, tales como la afectación causada a las actividades pesquera y turística.

Además de BP, la empresa Transocean –propietaria de la plataforma y encargada de su mantenimiento- y Halliburton, fueron consideradas responsables del siniestro[1].

Tan sólo los pagos erogados por BP ascienden, de acuerdo con las cifras de la misma empresa, a USD 61 billones, por concepto de los costos relacionados con el derrame, limpieza, reclamaciones económicas y pagos al gobierno[2].

Adicionalmente, BP tuvo que enfrentar diversos juicios por los cargos de “negligencia grave” que le imputaron por varios demandantes.

Que una compañía del tamaño y solvencia de BP haya enfrentado problemas financieros a partir de un siniestro, demuestra que todos estamos expuestos a sufrirlos, ya que los costos de un siniestro pueden llegar a ser incalculables.

Contratar un seguro con los montos y coberturas adecuadas, es fundamental para responder por los daños y perjuicios que se puedan causar a terceros, pero además con ello el asegurado consigue el doble propósito de proteger su patrimonio.

En NRGI Broker, somos expertos en seguros petroleros. Acércate a nosotros, con gusto te atenderemos.

[1] Deepwater Horizon Incident Joint Information Center. U.S. Scientific Team Draws on New Data, Multiple Scientific Methodologies to Reach Updated Estimate of Oil Flows from BP’s Well [boletín de prensa]. 15 June 2010. Disponible en: http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/661583/

[2] Gulf of Mexico restoration, disponible en: http://www.bp.com/en_us/bp-us/commitment-to-the-gulf-of-mexico/gulf-mexico-restoration.html