PEMEX, Japan’s JICA Launch Energy Efficiency Project

PEMEX announced a collaborative initiative with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and its partner ADAPTEX to implement an energy efficiency project at the Cadereyta Refinery in Nuevo Leon. The effort is designed to improve operational performance, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support the company’s environmental and transition objectives while strengthening bilateral cooperation in advanced industrial technologies.

The project focuses on installing an Advanced Process Control System for direct-fired heaters in the refinery’s primary and vacuum distillation Combined 1 units. According to the NOC, the system is expected to optimize energy consumption, increase the efficiency of combustion processes and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). At the current stage, the initiative is in the systems integration phase, with specialists validating operational results and evaluating improvements in energy usage across the refinery’s process units.

During a technical visit by JICA representatives to the PEMEX Administrative Center, PEMEX’s Director Víctor Rodríguez Padilla emphasized the importance of international cooperation and the exchange of best practices in efficiency, clean energy and cutting-edge technology. Rodríguez highlighted that such collaborations are essential for accelerating sustainability goals and advancing Mexico’s energy transition while maintaining energy security and economic development.

Rodríguez noted that the partnership with Japan is not simply a compliance exercise, but a strategic initiative reflecting the NOC’s commitment to environmental stewardship and performance improvements that are quantifiable across its operations. He stressed that reducing GHG emissions is a key element of Mexico’s climate commitments and that Pemex is seeking to integrate sustainable practices throughout its value chain.

PEMEX’s Industrial Processes Director, Carlos Armando Lechuga Aguiñaga, said the collaboration sets an important precedent for the energy sector. He pointed out that the project will enable safer, more efficient, and environmentally sound operations not only at Cadereyta but also as a model for future refinery upgrades. The joint efforts include rehabilitation of the Combined 1 unit and improvements in oxygen monitoring technology to enhance combustion efficiency, supported by engineering and optimization expertise from both Pemex and JICA-ADAPTEX teams.

The energy efficiency initiative at the Cadereyta Refinery reflects PEMEX’s broader strategic orientation toward sustainability and operational modernization, a theme consistent with progress reported earlier in 2025. PEMEX’s broader corporate strategy includes stabilizing hydrocarbon production, expanding refining output and advancing financial mechanisms to strengthen its debt profile and credibility with investors.

In October 2025, the NOC reported improvements in nutritional refiners throughput and growth in natural gas production, alongside financial and strategic advancements that bolstered its operational position. These results highlighted efforts such as the Investment Financing Program 2025, bond repurchase operations and cooperation with the Secretariat of Finance and Public Credit, all aimed at optimizing the company’s financial and operational performance.

The Japanese cooperation project can be seen as part of a wider trend of seeking international technical partnerships to complement domestic reform and investment efforts. Analysts note that such collaborations can help Pemex adopt best-in-class technologies and practices that might otherwise be difficult to implement independently, particularly as Mexico pursues climate and energy transition goals alongside its traditional focus on fossil fuel production.

International energy and climate policy observers have pointed out that improving energy efficiency in refining operations is a key lever for reducing emissions in oil-dependent economies. Refineries are traditionally high energy consumers and major sources of industrial emissions, so upgrading control systems to improve combustion and heat integration can yield significant environmental and economic benefits. It also aligns with Mexico’s broader commitments under global climate agreements to reduce emissions intensity and enhance industrial sustainability.

PEMEX and JICA formalized their cooperation agreement in 2023, and the company says the Cadereyta initiative will continue to evolve as results are validated and lessons are incorporated into broader refinery operations.