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
EIA Sees Ramp-Up of U.S. Natural Gas Exports to Mexico, Strengthening Waha Prices
The United States Energy Information Agency (EIA) said in a note on Monday that it expects Mexico natural gas exports to rise quickly with the entry into operation of the Villa de Reyes-Aguascalientes-Guadalajara (VAG) pipeline. The 890 MMcf/d VAG pipeline is the final stretch of a system that runs from the Permian Basin in West…
July 6, 2020
USMCA Takes Effect, Guaranteeing Zero-Tariff Trade in North America for U.S. Energy Producers
Officials in Mexico, the United States and Canada celebrated the launch of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on Wednesday, as the revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) treaty took effect after two years of negotiations. “USMCA will support and grow North American energy security by maintaining zero-tariff trade for crude oil, gasoline, kerosene-type jet fuel…
July 2, 2020
USMCA Launches Amidst Frayed Relationship Between Mexico Government, Private Sector
Officials in Mexico celebrated the launch of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) on Wednesday, as the revamped North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) treaty took effect after years of negotiations. “This is going to be one of the motors of the relaunch of the Mexican economy,” Mexican Finance Minister Arturo Herrera said in a virtual address.…
July 1, 2020
As OPEC Cuts Take Force, Mexico Oil Production Falls in May
Mexico’s oil production fell to 1.64 million b/d in May compared to 1.66 million b/d in the year-ago period, according to new data provided by the country’s upstream watchdog Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (CNH). Gas production in May was 3.61 Bcf/d, down from 3.82 Bcf/d last May. The figures are the first to reflect committed…
July 1, 2020
Black Bear Transmission Adds Natural Gas System to Southeast Portfolio
Houston-based Black Bear Transmission LLC has acquired a portfolio of natural gas transmission assets from a subsidiary of Third Coast Midstream LLC that span 1,400 miles in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. The six intrastate pipeline system has capacity of more than 800 MMcf/d with interconnectivity to long-haul pipelines. This is Black Bear’s second bolt-on acquisition.…
July 1, 2020
Mexican Oil, Natural Gas Production Down in May as OPEC Cuts Take Force
Mexico’s oil production fell to 1.64 million b/d in May compared to 1.66 million b/d in the year-ago period, according to new data provided by the country’s upstream watchdog Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (CNH). Gas production in May was 3.61 Bcf/d, down from 3.82 Bcf/d last May. The figures are the first to reflect committed…
June 29, 2020
AMLO Denies Iberdrola Natural Gas Plant Cancellation as Tension with Private Sector Mounts
Mexico President Andrés Manuel López Obrador denied Thursday that Spain’s Iberdrola SA is pulling out of its planned $1.2 billion natural gas-fired combined-cycle plant in the port city of Tuxpan. “There is no official information. It’s a journalistic story,” López Obrador said during his daily press conference. On Wednesday, Tuxpan Mayor Juan Antonio Aguilar, told…
June 25, 2020
Mexico Regulator Gives OK to Burgos Exploration Projects South of Texas Border
Mexico’s upstream oil and gas regulator, Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (CNH), has approved the appraisal plan by exploration and production firm Pantera Exploración y Producción to drill two wells in the Burgos Basin south of the Texas border. One well is the Patriota-106DEL in Tamaulipas state, part of a modification to the evaluation program approved…
June 24, 2020
Mexico Regulator Gives Green Light to Deepwater, Burgos Exploration Projects
Mexico’s upstream oil and gas regulator, Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (CNH), last Thursday approved drilling the Xakpún-1EXP deepwater exploration well by a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corp., aka CNOOC. The J-shaped well plans to target light oil resources in the Gulf of Mexico’s Wilcox formation to a total depth of 6,346 meters (20,820…
June 23, 2020
Argentina Freezes Gas, Power Rates, Mulls Price Floor for Gas Production
Argentina’s government announced on Friday it is freezing natural gas prices for users until the end of the year and will forbid canceling utility services even if users haven’t paid their bills. The move is part of the country’s response to the coronavirus outbreak that has stalled the economy and has kept much of the…
June 22, 2020