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
U.S. Looking to Strengthen Electric Power Grid with $3.5B Investment
The United States plans to invest around $3.5 billion in 58 projects across 44 states to strengthen electric grid resilience and reliability as new energy resources are added. “Extreme weather events fueled by climate change will continue to strain the nation’s aging transmission systems, but President Biden’s Investing in America agenda will ensure America’s power…
October 24, 2023
Are Higher Mexico Natural Gas Pipeline Imports Here to Stay? – Spotlight
After a bull run last week, North American natural gas futures floundered this week. The November New York Mercantile Exchange gas futures contract on Thursday sank for the seventh straight session to settle at $2.957/MMBtu, down 9.9 cents day/day. Mild weather and ample U.S. natural gas supplies helped spur the downward pressure. Mexico imports from…
October 19, 2023
U.S. Adding 8.6 GW of Natural Gas Power This Year Amid Record-Setting Demand
The United States expects to add 8.6 GW of natural gas-fired capacity to its power generation fleet in 2023 as demand for the fuel breaks records. So far this year, 10 natural gas-fired power plants totaling 6.8 GW have come online, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Natural gas consumption in electricity generation…
October 18, 2023
Thousands of Mexico Energy Permits Said Caught in Backlog, Slowing Infrastructure Development
Mexican energy trade group Consejo Mexicano de la Energia (Comener) has called on regulators to streamline permitting so as to not waste the near-term opportunities presented by nearshoring. Nearshoring is the buzzword of the moment in Mexico. It refers to North American companies shifting manufacturing processes closer to home. Boosted by the United-States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement, or USMCA,…
October 17, 2023
Turbulence in Global Markets as U.S. Natural Gas Exports Seen Rising – Mexico Spotlight
North American natural gas futures continued their hot streak this week, even as they cooled slightly on Wednesday and Thursday. After a six day rally, November New York Mercantile Exchange natural gas futures saw a half-cent decline on Wednesday and shed another 3.3 cents on Thursday to settle at $3.344/MMBtu. NatGasWeather said warmer temperatures could…
October 12, 2023
MVP Extension Project Gets Boost from North Carolina Legislature
North Carolina’s Republican-majority lawmakers on Tuesday overturned Gov. Roy Cooper’s (D) veto of House Bill 600, which would streamline water quality requirements for the extension of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). The move gives a boost to MVP’s extension plans, known as the MVP Southgate Project. North Carolina regulators denied a water quality permit for…
October 12, 2023
Mexico Market Showing Strength as Natural Gas Futures Surpass $3.00 – Spotlight
Bulls took the lead this week as North American natural gas futures saw the kind of upward pressure that has been rare in 2023. The November New York Mercantile Exchange gas futures contract jumped 20.4 cents day/day on Thursday and settled at $3.166/MMBtu. December gained 19.1 cents to $3.511. Supply concerns appeared to be behind…
October 5, 2023
Civitas Deepens Permian Basin Presence, Snaps Up Vencer Energy Assets
Denver-based Civitas Resources Inc. is taking on more upstream acreage in the Permian Basin. In a $2.1 billion transaction, Civitas signed an agreement with Vitol Inc. subsidiary Vencer Energy LLC to add some 44,000 net acres in the Midland Basin in West Texas. The assets have current production of 62,000 boe/d, with about half of…
October 5, 2023
Mexico State Utility Seeking More Natural Gas from South and West Texas
Mexico’s national utility Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) through its international marketing subsidiary CFE International LLC (CFEi) has put out a bid for proposals for the supply of natural gas from Texas. CFEi is the U.S.-based entity responsible for procuring natural gas to support power generation and other needs in Mexico. The Mexican state giant…
October 3, 2023
Technology, Low Prices Boosting U.S. Natural Gas-Fired Power Plant Efficiency
Natural gas-fired power plants are becoming increasingly efficient in the United States, according to a new analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). The average utilization rate, or capacity factor, for the U.S. fleet of combined-cycle natural gas turbine (CCGT) plants has increased from 40% in 2008 to 57% in 2022, EIA noted. More…
October 2, 2023