Campeche Is an Important Key for Energy Development

The future of the energy sector is in the hands of Mexicans themselves. Let us remember that Mexico’s government, during the so-called "Rescue of Energy Sovereignty," has been strongly involved in promoting the growth of PEMEX, with one of its objectives being the acquisitions and investments made through oil sector contracts.

When talking about key infrastructure, we cannot leave out the Olmeca refinery, which aims to turn Mexico into a self-sufficient country in the production of refined products and to offer better prices to consumers in a feasible way.

It is important to mention again the year 2013, when the Energy Reform was agreed, where the private sector, made up of foreign and Mexican companies, competed in the oil rounds, achieving an opening of the Mexican energy market and, as a result, positioning it on the list of major producing countries. But within these new changes, what benefits would Mexican suppliers have?

In the Hydrocarbons Law, Article 46, paragraph five, states that the Ministry of Economy will verify compliance with the percentage of national content of the assignments. In this context, it would be important to ask ourselves, how much compliance has been made with this article of the Hydrocarbons Law? We are waiting for a change so that each state can develop suppliers to be hired by the winning companies in the oil rounds and thus generate socioeconomic development.

In Mexico, we have several oil states, among them Campeche, which has large energy projects, highlighted by the largest hydrocarbon-producing well, called Ku Maloob Zaap, with an investment of about MX$248 billion (US$12.4 billion)*, which is to say, 50 percent allocated. Besides the Ku Maloob Zaap well, in second place, is the Cantarell well, with an investment of about MX$233 billion (US$11.6 billion), which in turn has been named among the Top 10 oil wells in the world. The state of Campeche has a great participation in the hydrocarbon sector since 86 percent of its income is from the extraction of oil and gas. It also has 100 platforms operating in the area and its participation in exploration and extraction also requires maintenance services, infrastructure, purchase and sale of operating equipment, specialized services, communication services, transportation, technical services and housing services, among others. We also cannot forget that seaports are strategic for logistics operations within the energy sector value chain.

Each area of this sector is important within the Mexican economy but let’s talk about the suppliers in Campeche, as an example. They are part of the value chain and involved in the objectives of each one of the projects developed in the state. They have proven they are highly capable of offering operators the same quality, capacity and efficiency as any other company in the market.

Why are these supplier companies not contracted by foreign operators? What problems do the suppliers face when dealing with the operators? What is the real percentage of Mexican companies in Mexico that are contracted to offer their services and/or products in these projects?

Currently in Mexico, there is not really a supplier development program that indicates the state of the group of Mexican suppliers. That is to say, if the supplier companies were fully trained in safety, technology, certification, human capital, financial and regulatory matters, there would be no need to close companies and lay off workers and the operators would comply with the national content and thus make the economy profitable.

As a result, governments have created programs to develop suppliers and encourage them to connect with operators and contractors on essential projects where Mexican companies can truly demonstrate their technological capabilities.

When talking about opportunities, we would mention the companies from Campeche that have the capacity to offer highly qualified services and products. They also continue to demonstrate their capacity in the implementation of new technologies, which is essential to remain in competition with other companies that want to win contracts, having clearly identified that this path is not only about offering a service but going beyond being a business: it is necessary to leave a legacy in each project, generate more jobs, open the doors to young professionals who have professional dreams and the desire to know and grow. Campeche companies know that the opportunity to develop in the industry for the people of Campeche is focused on providing them with job opportunities. We are committed to favorably impacting the tertiary sectors that benefit thousands of families in Campeche.

It is essential to recognize not only the potential and technological development but also the vocation of Mexico as a country in the energy sector through the companies of the state of Campeche, because only in this way can we formalize a sectoral group of suppliers with high levels of growth for the families of Campeche.

In this sense, the industry’s enormous potential sits with Campeche companies. A very recent example is the effort made by the industry and organizations through union representation identified all the difficulties that have arisen during the changes that have been made in the sector and has built the commitment to generate and seek the right solutions through strategic actions to develop the supply chain, working collaboratively with the state government, private sector and PEMEX so as to encourage local, regional and national development of the energy sector, with strategic alliances between industrial sectors.

It is important to create links between the energy, industrial, governmental, academic, environmental and social sectors to promote the expansion of industrial activity in the energy sector, where the objectives are to encourage and motivate the pursuit of an awareness of integrated supply with receipt of technology transfer, based on integration, acceptance, rapprochement and respect among different participants .

*Peraza, J.(2022). Campeche Polo Petrolero e Industrial. Real Estate Market & Lifestyle. https://realestatemarket.com.mx/articulos/mercado-inmobiliario/industria/15178-campeche-polo-petrolero-e-industrial