IOA Podcast Series

Canada’s energy outlook and trends are undergoing an important evolution. Distribution of its natural resource wealth, how hydrocarbons are moved to market, as well as what those markets are, are key issues facing policy makers and energy sector participants in Canada. The Institute of the Americas discussed the issues with Alberta Minister of Energy, the Honourable Ken Hughes

For several years and for a variety of reasons, Ecuador’s oil outlook has been less than rosy. But all that could change after President Correa’s stunning about-face on August 16th, in which he abandoned the country’s bid to raise funds from international donors to prevent exploration and production in the Amazon.

On August 12, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto set forth his government’s much-anticipated proposal for energy reform. Faced with vast fiscal constraints, declining oil production and the enormous demand of exploiting complex oil and gas reserves, as well as challenges in the power sector, how Mexico manages the reform measures appears vital for its economic outlook.

As a Chilean appeals court suspended another electricity mega-project last week, it was the latest in a series of setbacks for the increasingly energy-starved nation. Neighboring Peru is in a similarly precarious position as it seeks to promote sustainable growth, much of which is underpinned by its mining sector that will also be the key driver of electricity demand in coming years.

While Chile’s presidential elections are still 5 months away, campaigns are in full swing, and candidates are gearing up for primary elections on June 30th. As campaign debates generate national attention, it is becoming clear that this year’s elections will be dominated by three issues – health, education, and energy.

There has been much excitement surrounding the energy boom in the US, not least what the so-called ‘shale revolution’ has meant for the country’s economy and energy security. Nations with a similar abundance of unconventional reserves hope to somehow emulate this success. Latin America is just one region paying close attention.

On May 2nd, Presidents Obama and Peña Nieto will meet in Mexico City to discuss the bilateral relationship. It is likely that the Mexican government will inquire as to the status of the Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement, signed with much fanfare in Los Cabos in February 2012 and ratified by the Mexican Senate almost immediately

Energy is like politics in that we all love the horse race – who’s leading, who’s up, who’s down. For years, Petrobras was the poster child for “who’s up,” while Mexico’s oil company, Pemex, was struggling. At least until recently.

While the energy headlines are often dominated by Brazil, Mexico, and Venezuela, Colombia continues to witness an energy boom. The contrast could not be greater than with its neighbor Venezuela and its national oil company, PDVSA.

Just six months after the last presidential elections, voters are headed to the polls to elect a new leader. Regardless of who wins next week’s election, the new Venezuelan president will need to make some tough economic adjustments. Petrocaribe is just one program likely to feel the sting in the process.

We spoke to Dr. David Mares about some of the trends in energy nationalism across Latin America and the outlook for the region’s national oil companies. Mares is Professor of Political Science Adjunct Professor of IRPS at UC San Diego and Baker Scholar in Energy Studies at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

As the debate over the Keystone XL pipeline continues to dominate US energy headlines, it looks increasingly like there will be no winners on either the industry or environmental side.

Energy Program Director Jeremy Martin spoke to Nobuo Tanaka, former Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) about the natural gas boom in the United States and implications for the global natural gas outlook and LNG.