[OIL PRODUCTION] El petróleo mexicano cierra sus puertas a la inversión privada con la actual reforma energética

El Senado mexicano debatirá la próxima semana los dictámenes del proyecto de reforma energética diseñado por la Comisión de Energía del Congreso, a partir de la propuesta presentada por el presidente Felipe Calderón. El texto fue redactado en bloque por el gubernamental Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) y el Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI, principal fuerza en los gobiernos regionales), con el Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD) como atento espectador. Pero, finalmente, el PRI desestimaba una de las claves del plan: la creación de filiales de la estatal Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) para la refinación, transporte y distribución de hidrocarburos con participación de capital privado.

El debate energético se produce en un marco preelectoral, con la vista puesta en las legislativas de 2009. Así, los parlamentarios del PRD lograron de sus pares panistas la puesta en marcha de una nueva refinería con cargo al erario público. El Gobierno federal y los perredistas habrían tomado en cuenta las ventajas electorales que obtendría el PRI si acumulara todo el mérito de la reforma.

Las comisiones de Energía y de Hacienda también han dado el visto bueno a un nuevo régimen fiscal para Pemex, sexto mayor productor mundial de crudo. La iniciativa establece que la petrolera pagará menos impuestos en trabajos de exploración y extracción de crudo. Pemex financia una tercera parte del presupuesto nacional y es la primera fuente de divisas del país, aunque sus reservas están en manifiesto retroceso.

La idea de Calderón, ya bastante «descafeinada» respecto a sus intenciones previas a ocupar la Presidencia, se quedará «minúscula, microscópica» tras su paso por el Parlamento: «No cambia nada en términos generales el régimen que existe en la materia, no se genera competencia, no se abre ninguno de los sectores y se carga todo en una empresa monopolista que es pesada e ineficiente», denuncia Carlos Elizondo, profesor del Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas.

Pese a que todo indica que la feble reforma le supondrá una victoria, el ex candidato del PRD a la Presidencia, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, quien se opone por principio a cualquier iniciativa del Ejecutivo, ha amenazado con una nueva toma de las tribunas del Senado: «No habrá vacilación ni titubeo. De ser necesario convocaré a la movilización a todo el pueblo de México».

Source: ABC| MANUEL M. CASCANTE


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[EUROPE] UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown says petrol prices 'must' fall as oil tumbles

Mr Gordon Brown hinted that unless retailers cut their prices in line with falling international oil prices, he will ask the Office of Fair Trading to look into their behaviour.
Firms including ASDA have this week cut their petrol price to below £1 a litre. The price of a barrel of oil has dropped by half from July's peak of $147. On Thursday, the oil price fell as low as $67.62. Mr Brown said that both he and British drivers now "expect" retailers to start cutting prices.

"I think the public know that when oil prices go up it is reflected very quickly in the petrol pump price," he said. "What we want to know is that when oil prices come down that is also reflected in the pump price."

He added: "You will see over the next few days people giving a great deal of attention to what the price is. The first thing we want to see is retailers following the lead that has been taken by some people.

The Prime Minister, who was speaking to reporters in Brussels, said that the Government will be closely monitoring petrol prices over the next few days.

He added: "You have also got to remember - and we have had a number of reports done on this by the Office for Fair Trading and others - that the petrol rpice is high in some parts of the country - £1.20 a litre in some areas.

"And that we will continue to look at as well. We have reports done on this before to look at what is happening in the market place.

"We will continue to examine these things but I believe that also must change."

Brendan McLoughlin of PetrolPrices.com welcomed falling prices, but warned that relief for motorists could be temporary.

He said: "Lower petrol prices are dependent on low oil prices, so if the banking crisis forces investors towards commodities we could see both the price of oil and petrol picking up again."

The remarks about petrol prices represent a change of tone from the Prime Minister.

At the second day of a European Union summit in Brussels, Mr Brown appeared to drop his recent focus on international financial reforms and talking at length about "the hard and difficult times" facing British families and companies.

The change reflects private concerns in No 10 that the Prime Minister's newfound image in some European capitals as the economic saviour of the world financial system risks leaving him looking disconnected from the concerns of voters at home.


Source: Telegraph|By James Kirkup





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[OIL PRICES] Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Crude Oil Declines After U.S. Financial-Rescue Plan Hits Snag

Crude oil fell, leading energy futures lower, after negotiations over the $700 billion financial bailout plan stalled, adding to concern that U.S. economic growth in the world's biggest energy-consuming country will falter. Oil prices dropped as much as 3.5 percent after House Republicans rejected the proposed rescue of the U.S. financial system, imperiling an agreement hours after an announcement that one was near. U.S. fuel demand over the past four weeks was down 5.3 percent from last year, a government report showed this week.

``The oil market is at the mercy of what is going on in Washington,'' said Gene McGillian, an analyst at TFS Energy LLC in Stamford, Connecticut. ``If there isn't an agreement, prices will drop further because the economy will slow further and demand destruction will continue.''

Crude oil for November delivery fell $1.13, or 1.1 percent, to settle at $106.89 a barrel at 2:42 p.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Prices are down 27 percent from the record $147.27 a barrel reached on July 11. The contract is up 4 percent for the week.

Gasoline for October delivery declined 3.22 cents, or 1.2 percent, to settle at $2.6651 a gallon in New York. Heating oil fell 3.09 cents, or 1 percent, to settle at $2.9949 a gallon.

Oil prices may decline next week, according to a survey of analysts by Bloomberg News. Fourteen of 29 analysts, or 48 percent, said prices will decrease through Oct. 3.

The U.S. economy expanded at an annual rate of 2.8 percent in the second quarter, slower than the previous estimate, as consumer spending and trade contributed less to growth, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. The revised figures were down from an estimate of 3.3 percent last month.

GDP Forecasts
Economists at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley this week cut third-quarter Gross Domestic Product forecasts, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke warned the economy may falter without the $700 billion bank rescue. The U.S. was responsible for 24 percent of global oil consumption last year, according to BP Plc.

Alon USA Energy Inc. restarted the fluid catalytic cracking unit at its Big Spring, Texas, refinery so the plant can resume full processing capacity of 70,000 barrels a day. Total SA, Europe's third-largest oil company, said it restored power to its Port Arthur refinery in Texas after Hurricane Ike, and plans to restart the plant.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc said it will delay planned maintenance on U.S. Gulf Coast refineries.

Brent crude oil for November settlement declined $1.06, or 1 percent, to settle at $103.54 a barrel on London's ICE Futures Europe exchange.

OPEC Production
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries would cut oil production to keep crude oil from falling below $100 per barrel, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa said today in a television interview on the ETV Telerama network.

Ecuador, the producer group's smallest member, has struggled to meet its daily output quota of 520,000 barrels in recent months.
Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries members produce more than 40 percent of the world's oil.

Source: Bloomberg| by Mark Shenk





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