• Most Popular
  • Most Shared

FACTBOX-Details of Mexico's energy reform proposals

Wed Apr 9, 2008 12:12am EDT

April 8 (Reuters) - Here are the main details of energy reform proposals sent to Mexico's Congress by President Felipe Calderon on Tuesday.

Bonds

* If approved, the reforms would set up a new type of flexible incentive-based service contract across state oil monopoly Pemex's activities that would reward hired companies for efficient or well-performed work with a bonus payment but no share in oil discovered or produced. It stops short of allowing controversial risk-sharing alliances with companies.

* The contracts would apply to everything from oil drilling and refining to pipelines and storage. The government hopes the performance incentives will spur on new oil exploration and production projects and will mean the building of three new oil refineries in Mexico over the next 12 years.

* Under a complete rewrite of Pemex's legal framework, the bill also proposes adding four independent directors to its 11-strong board, increasing its operational and budgetary autonomy, and improving transparency and accountability.

* The changes would let Pemex keep more of its oil export revenues, which are taxed at over 50 percent. Officials say Pemex stands to be around $4 billion to $5 billion better off each year and should be fully responsible for its spending and budget in around 10 years.

* Pemex would issue debt certificates related to its performance for Mexicans to invest in. The "citizens' bonds" could eventually be traded.

* Pemex's taxation system would be gradually honed to introduce varying tax rates for different types of oil and gas field.

* Regulation of the energy sector would be beefed up.

* Because it does not seek changes to the Constitution, the reform proposal could be passed with the backing of just 50 percent of Congress plus one vote. (Reporting by Catherine Bremer; Editing by Kieran Murray)



More from Reuters

Photo

Time Warner Cable, Fox at impasse; blackout looms

NEW YORK (Reuters) - About 13 million Time Warner Cable Inc subscribers were to lose most Fox programing at midnight on Thursday unless the cable service provider reached a last-minute deal to pay fees to News Corp to broadcast the shows.

A customer is served at a counter inside a foreign exchange store displaying a poster of various banknotes including the Chinese yuan or renminbi (RMB) in Hong Kong November 20, 2009. REUTERS/Bobby Yip
OUTLOOK 2010:

Be careful what you wish for

Pressure on China to loosen its grip on the yuan will continue but the U.S. should tread carefully. Here are five world market issues to watch.  Full Article 

Clients work out on machines at the Bally Total Fitness facility in Arvada, Colorado June 15, 2009.  REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Get real with resolutions

We make them and we break them: The secret to keeping them is to avoid the impossible dream.  Full Article