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 Said Poised to Need Additional Natural Gas Starting Next Year
Macroeconomic and political uncertainty could stymie development of Argentina’s vast Vaca Muerta shale play in western Argentina, leading to a greater need for natural gas imports. “There is a lot of uncertainty because of the exchange rate, macroeconomic conditions, and fracking activity which is almost halted, not only due to the pandemic effect but because…
September 24, 2020
Brazil Seen as Driver of Latin America’s LNG Demand in Coming Years
Brazil is set to be the center of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand activity in Latin America at least over the next decade, according to experts who spoke at a webinar last week organized by the Institute of the Americas. “Gas remains the transition fuel in Brazil because it allows for the highest possible…
September 23, 2020
Flooding, EPC Co. Pullout Raise Doubts At Mexico’s Flagship Energy Project
Progress at Mexico’s biggest energy infrastructure project, the Dos Bocas refinery in Tabasco state, was slowed this week by heavy rains that flooded the construction site, adding to mounting criticism that the project as currently designed is a drain on state funds and part of a poorly designed energy policy. Analysts at Eurasia Group on…
September 22, 2020
Q&A with Patrick Rau on Mexico’s Natural Gas Market Development
Editor’s Note: NGI’s Mexico Gas Price Index, a leader tracking Mexico natural gas market reform, is offering the following question-and-answer (Q&A) column as part of a regular interview series with experts in the Mexican natural gas market. This 39th Q&A in the series is with Patrick Rau, CFA. Rau is Director, Strategy & Research and…
September 19, 2020
Brazil To See Extra LNG Imports, Growing Natural Gas Demand Over Next Decade
Brazil is set to be the center of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) demand activity in Latin America at least over the next decade, according to experts who spoke at a webinar Tuesday organized by the Institute of the Americas. “Gas remains the transition fuel in Brazil because it allows for the highest possible penetration…
September 17, 2020
Vaca Muerta-to-Brazil Natural Gas Pipeline Said Financially Difficult to Pull Off
A potential natural gas pipeline hooking up Argentina’s Vaca Muerta shale formation to southern Brazil will cost about $5 billion and “pose financial challenges,” according to Buenos Aires-based Wood Mackenzie. “Southern Brazil remains the most attractive regional market for potential excess gas production from Argentina,” Wood Mackenzie principal Ignacio Rooney told NGI’s Shale Daily. However,…
September 17, 2020
Amid Brazilian Gas Market Move to Deregulation, Vaca Muerta Pipeline Again in Discussion
Earlier this month, Brazil’s lower house approved a new regulatory framework for the natural gas sector, paving the way for an opening similar to the one seen in Mexico’s gas market over the past six years. The bill includes restrictions on market participants operating in different segments of the natural gas market, which would effectively…
September 16, 2020
Cenagas Sees Fix to Yucatan Gas Supply Shortages in Place by Next Month
The second phase of the reconfiguration of the Cempoala compressor station in Veracruz state will be complete in October, according to the general director of Mexico’s Centro Nacional de Control del Gas Natural (Cenagas), Elvira Daniel Kabbaz. Speaking virtually last week at the Mexico Gas Summit hosted by Industry Exchange LLC, Daniel said that work…
September 15, 2020
Argentina Natural Gas Production Down 12% in July
Natural gas production in Argentina fell by 12.2% year/year in July to 126.8 million cubic meters/day (MMm3/d), or 4.47 Bcf/d, according to the latest report by the IAE Argentine Energy Institute. Production was essentially flat compared to June. Analysts attributed the drop to restrictions in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. Argentina has had one…
September 14, 2020
Natural Gas Futures Tread Lightly as Cooler Temps Settle In
BREAKING: U.S. EIA reports a 70 Bcf injection into storage inventories for the week ended Sept. 4 October natural gas futures clawed out a modest gain as markets mulled positive export data against the prospects of cooler weather Fall containment concerns kept prices in check Spot prices declined amid chillier temperatures across the Rocky Mountains…
September 10, 2020