Adriana Barrera, Reuters

MEXICO CITY
EnergiesNet.com 10 21 2024

Mexican state oil company Pemex (PEMX.UL) will curb the activity of its exploration and production arm in the last quarter of the year as it seeks to save up to 26.8 billion pesos ($1.35 billion), an internal document showed on Friday.

In deferring spending at PEP, as the arm is known, the heavily indebted company is seeking to “optimize resources,” the letter said, through postponing some planned works and acquisitions until 2025.

The internal company letter was signed by Nestor Martinez, a former senior official at the hydrocarbon commission, who was appointed by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to lead the exploration and production arm. It is dated Oct. 11.

Until the end of the year, Pemex will prioritize investments in higher-producing wells, the letter said. It will defer some administrative and production work, including covering wells and acquiring seismic equipment needed for exploration.

Pemex did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what prompted the spending cuts, and how it would affect crude oil production.

Under the six-year administration of President Sheinbaum, who took office on Oct. 1, Pemex will seek to maintain average crude oil production of 1.8 million barrels per day.

Pemex currently produces on average 1.5 million bpd of oil. Adding condensate, a natural gas liquid that is similar to a very light crude oil, its production is 1.8 million bpd.

Despite efforts to reduce debt under Sheinbaum’s predecessor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the company carries financial debt of about $100 billion and provider debt of about $20 billion.

reuters.com 10 18 2024