IMP at InnovaFest: Strengthening Mexico's Technical Capacity

The Mexican Petroleum Institute (IMP) took center stage at InnovaFest LATAM 2025, where it presented a series of new initiatives and projects aimed at boosting energy innovation across Mexico. The announcement underscores IMP’s growing role as a research and development engine for both traditional and clean energy in the country.

At the heart of IMP’s participation is an intent to bridge science, industry, and policy. In its presentation, the institute showcased recent technological developments and advanced solutions born from its research labs, among them improvements for flow and well performance, tools for more efficient resource extraction and pollution control, and innovations aimed at reducing environmental impact. According to IMP’s leadership, these advances reflect a broader strategy: to strengthen the energy sector’s technical capacity while contributing to the country’s push toward sustainability.

IMP’s renewed emphasis on innovation comes at a time of broader national momentum. InnovaFest LATAM 2025, organized by the federal government in coordination with several ministries, seeks to stimulate investment in science, technology, and entrepreneurial activity across sectors including aerospace, biotechnology, digital technology, and clean energy. The event attracted thousands of participants, dozens of funds, and entrepreneurs from over 30 countries, making it one of the most important innovation platforms held in Mexico in 2025.

Among the standout presentations were several technologies developed fully in-house. One of the most prominent was the Venturi-Type Flow Improver, a device designed to optimize and sustain production in mature fields. The technology helps maintain flow under challenging operational conditions, a persistent issue for aging reservoirs in Mexico.

Another key development was RUITEM+P, an intelligent system for real-time leak detection in production pipelines. According to IMP specialists, the system strengthens asset integrity by providing continuous monitoring and early identification of irregularities.

The institute also presented IMP-KINYAM, an acrylic demulsifier designed to improve crude quality while reducing environmental impact. IMP emphasized that the product supports cleaner and more efficient separation processes, which are essential for operators managing heavier or more complex crudes. The demulsifier is part of a broader push by the institute to introduce chemical solutions that enhance production without increasing ecological burdens.

A fourth innovation showcased at the event was a Real-Time Pipeline Leak Monitoring System. Developed to detect operational variations with high precision, the system reduces operating costs and enhances pipeline safety.

Beyond individual technologies, IMP stressed its collaboration with other major actors in the energy field. In 2025 the institute signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the national gas operator CENAGAS and academic institutions to lead research and human capital development programs aimed at strengthening Mexico’s natural-gas transport and storage infrastructure. The partnership underscores the role of IMP as a technical backbone supporting long-term energy infrastructure projects.

This renewed institutional role aligns with broader changes in national energy policy. As the country modernizes its electricity and gas systems, there is growing recognition that technological and regulatory innovation will play a crucial role to ensure energy security, environmental sustainability, and competitiveness. IMP’s voice emerges not just as a technical entity, but as a potential bridge between public and private sectors, academia, and global standards.

The significance of IMP’s involvement at InnovaFest also lies in symbolic timing. The forum seeks to attract investment, link scientific talent with financing, and promote the commercial deployment of new technologies. Government sources project that the event could mobilize over MX$800 million (US$43.960 million) in private funding for high-impact projects across Mexico. With IMP’s activism in energy innovation, the institute aims to position itself as a key actor capable of channeling research capacity into real projects in renewable energy, cleaner fossil fuel operations, and decarbonization strategies.