Houston

In addition to the world’s largest Concentration of energy & petrochemical companies, Houston is also home to major universities, the Texas Medical Center and NASA’s Johnson Space Center making it a focal point for US Research & Development activities.    
 
More than 100 Norwegian companies are today present in Houston. Active and planned projects in the Gulf of Mexico represent a huge market potential for emerging Norwegian technologies able to compete in a global market.    
 
Doing business in Houston is however difficult due to a number of local factors in this highly competitive environment. Finding the key people and building a personal relationship can be as important as the technology itself. Special emphasis should therefore be placed on strategy and business planning to ensure successful market entry. 
 
At the Norwegian Consulate General in Houston, Innovation Norway and INTSOK representatives are working together to assistant Norwegian companies entering this market.   Houston is not only the gateway for activities in the Gulf of Mexico. The city is also location of extensive operations in other parts of the world for all major players in the oil and gas industry, making it the world’s energy capital.
 

 

Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) is Mexico’s national oil and gas enterprise, they are solely responsible for the development of the hydrocarbons resources in Mexico. PEMEX activities go from exploration to production of hydrocarbons, and cover the production, storing, distribution and commercialisation of oil derivates.
Pemex is the third-largest producer of crude in the world, and the ninth largest integrated major oil company.

Pemex's roughly $40 billion in investments over the past four years has helped boost crude oil production.  Pemex will need to maintain the level of its annual investments over the next 10 years if Mexico is to avoid becoming a net importer of crude oil. Pemex is trying to tap deepwater reserves in the Gulf of Mexico. In order to grow, the company needs more than $15-$20 billion a year, which could be obtained through greater private-sector investment.

Main challenges for the Mexican Oil and Gas Industry
1. Exploratory work for the evaluation of potential fields and recovery of reserves
2. Increase the exploration of the Light Crude Oil (Coatzacoalcos Marino, Campeche Poniente and other areas of the Southwest Marine Region.)
3. Development of fields with heavy oil.
5. Enhanced Oil Recovery
4. Exploration and production in Chicontepec Area
5. Exploration and production of Natural Gas
6. Exploration and production in deep waters

When in comes to deepwater, PEMEX has identified 817 exploratory opportunities from the work being develop in the last few years, of this 172 have a high possibility of success with a potential of 25 to 37 MMBOE. Opportunities with resources greater to 350 MMBOE have been identified, but most opportunities have around 50 to 200 MMBOE, with a median of 143 MMBOE. Taking into consideration the size of the field, the type of oil and gas, the medium equivalent volume, and the water depth, 20 areas of opportunity have been evaluated for it potential in deepwater out of this 6 areas have been selected for further exploratory work. Deepwater areas: Campeche Profundo, Lankahuasa Profundo, Lampra Profundo, Coatzacoalcos Profundo, Área Perdido, Lankahuasa Sur, Cañonero and Hox Hux.

As PEMEX moves to deeper waters and the need for further exploration and evaluation of potential fields arise, they will require more resources in 3D acquisition, seismic modeling, reservoir geophysics,, seismic attribute analysis, seismic interpretation, geophysical and geotechnical studies, operation optimization, field optimization, risk management.

So what does all this mean for Norwegian companies? It means that Norwegian Expertise and know-how can be of great value to PEMEX. There are many opportunities and challenges facing the Mexican oil and gas industry, and PEMEX is eager to find new partners and new technologies. Innovation Norway is prepared to help Norwegian
 
Mexico Events:
The third edition of the International Oil Congress and Exhibition in Mexicowill be held from May 27th to the 31st in Monterrey, Mexico. IN is arranging a Norwegian Pavillion, if interested in more information contact Bernardo Cuellar at our Houston office.