Cooperative Public-Private Model Can Lead to Growth Goals

Q: What role does COMENER believe the private sector should play in the pursuit of Mexican energy sovereignty?

A: Mexico has great opportunities to use oil and gas as central motors for economic growth and social development, and this is one of the flagship ideas of the administration. At the same time, the president has set a goal of growing the economy by 4 percent by the end of his government. With these goals in mind, COMENER is clear that Mexico needs to find an effective cooperative public-private investment model, because achieving this growth will be only possible through a joint effort given the level of technology investment required. Similarly, deepwater exploration can only be carried out with the help of partners due to the financial risks that these operations entail. Today, we have the legal tools required for developing sound, shared operational contracts, whereby PEMEX can gain the support of private players and move toward higher production. This benefits both parties.

Then, COMENER’s role is to assemble the key players involved. We bring together the three levels of government (municipal, state and federal) academia and private companies. This is the motor for coordinated development, via the application of technology and international standards, to make collective intelligent decisions. We also work to build bridges between investors, community leaders and civil society in general. We believe a social development plan aligned to the growth of the oil and gas industry is essential. The country has strong energy relationship with its northern neighbor, so this is a good time to explore alternatives to be more efficient.

Q: Why did COMENER begin its Acceleration Program and why is the program necessary?

A: We are sure that Mexicans have talent and innovation to contribute to the energy sector. The idea of COMENER’s Acceleration Program aims to improve the technological capacities of Mexican scientific and entrepreneurial innovators. We do this by holding a competition and selecting the most promising innovators for further support. It takes place at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, which has an initiative to promote technologies that are used, and could be used, by both the space exploration and oil and gas industries.

Our Acceleration Program is the first program of its type to welcome any scientist, small business or individual with an innovation or an idea for an advanced technology, who wants to take it from the concept stage to development and deliver it to market. The program helps incubate these ideas and provides guidance on how to accelerate the process. The program takes place in Houston. We decided on that city because it is the world capital of oil and gas innovation and therefore attracts the necessary operators, service providers, angel investors and venture capitalists needed to achieve a technological innovation. Additionally, companies from the entire value chain and from all over the world are located there. It is the best place to take Mexican innovation and put it in front of the global industry to open doors of opportunity. This is vital because technology can propel Mexico’s industry and deliver rewards to the country as a whole.

Q: How does COMENER rank IMP’s role in developing technologies for oil and gas in Mexico?

A: In Mexico, IMP is developing superb technologies that will introduce a wide range of benefits to the national industry and potential source of revenues for the institute. With the help of investors and partners, the technologies IMP is producing could be effectively commercialized and produce a win-win situation for all involved. Once again, this situation shows the relevance of consensus building efforts. Each sector of the value chain requires different technological innovations to resolve the different problems found on each link. Reduction of nonprogrammed downtime and costs and increased protection of the environment are areas where technologies can help.

The Mexican Energy Council (COMENER) specializes in promoting infrastructure, technology and regulation projects, as well as the innovation of Mexican human capital, based on open dialogue between private, public and social sectors.