Christopher joined NGI as a Senior Editor for Mexico and Latin America in November, 2018. Prior to that, he was a Senior Editorial Manager at BNamericas in Santiago, Chile. Based out of Santiago, he has covered Latin American energy markets since 2009 as a reporter, editor and analyst. He has an MA in International Economic Policy from Columbia University and a BA in International Studies from Trinity College.
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Articles from Christopher Lenton
Argentina Natural Gas Production Down 11% in September
Natural gas production in Argentina fell by 10.9% year/year in September to 122.8 million cubic meters/day (MMm3/d), or 4.37 Bcf/d, according to the latest report by the IAE Argentine Energy Institute. Production was down from 4.38 Bcf/d in August. Analysts attributed the drop to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Argentina has had…
November 17, 2020
Energía Costa Azul Sanctioned, Looks to Become Mexico’s First LNG Export Project
San Diego-based Sempra Energy has reached a final investment decision (FID) for the development, construction and operation of a natural gas liquefaction plant in Mexico’s Baja California. Energía Costa Azul (ECA) is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) joint venture between subsidiaries Sempra LNG and Infraestructura Energética Nova (IEnova). It is the first LNG export project…
November 17, 2020
YPF Open to Vaca Muerta Farm-Ins, Sees Shale Production Bouncing Back to Pre-Covid Levels
Executives at Argentina’s state energy firm Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales SA (YPF) said their oil and gas fields are starting to return to work after the complete shutdown in April that became “the worst” month in the company’s history. Argentina responded to the arrival of the coronavirus in March with strict lockdown measures that have only…
November 13, 2020
López Obrador Energy Policies Seen as Main Risk to New Era of Mexico-U.S. Bilateral Ties
Energy is set to be a sticky issue in the new Mexico-United States relationship under U.S. President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. Moves by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador that favor public sector companies Comision Federal de Electricidad (CFE) and Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) over private sector entities have caused considerable concern to U.S. investors in…
November 12, 2020
Oil, Gas Well Intervention Costs in Mexico Seen Surpassing $3 Billion in Years Ahead
Mexico could prove to be busy for the services sector in the years ahead as its producing wells age and the cost to keep them going mounts. According to new analysis from Rystad Energy, around 75% of Mexico’s oil and gas producing wells are mature, and the cost to keep them pumping could exceed $3…
November 5, 2020
Colombia Inches Closer to Becoming Second South American Nation to Use Fracking
Colombia has published the terms of reference for its hydraulic fracturing (fracking) pilots and will award contracts to four projects by the end of this month. According to a reference document published in October by the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), the most “favorable” four projects will be picked from those taking part in the bidding…
November 4, 2020
Private Sector Oil, Gas Producers Still See ‘Promise’ in Mexico Hydrocarbons
Despite the anti-competitive atmosphere that has pervaded the government of Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, private sector upstream operators that jumped at the chance to enter the country as part of its energy reform continue to show results and tout the potential of Mexico’s oil and gas resources. Last week during a conference call…
November 3, 2020
Phillips 66 Sees Midstream Consolidation as ‘Likely to Happen’
After the recent flurry of mergers and acquisitions in the upstream space across North America, Phillips 66 thinks the midstream space is ripe for consolidation. The Houston-based management group discussed third quarter performance for the energy manufacturing and logistics firm during a conference call with analysts Friday. CFO Kevin Mitchell thinks the company could position…
November 2, 2020
ECA LNG Could Soon Move Ahead as Momentum Builds for Mexico Export Projects
The Energía Costa Azul (ECA) natural gas export project in Mexico’s Baja California has yet to receive an export approval from the Mexican government despite a new push to support the exports but sanctioning could happen later this year, Infraestructura Energética Nova (IEnova) executives said last week. The proposed two-phase liquefied natural gas (LNG) project,…
October 30, 2020
Exmar, YPF Terminate FLNG Charter
Belgium-based Exmar recently reached a settlement agreement with Argentina state oil and gas firm YPF SA over the Tango floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessel docked at the Bahía Blanca port. YPF issued a force majeure notice in June claiming it couldn’t meet the terms of its charter agreement for the Tango vessel because of…
October 30, 2020