Economy Minister Martín Guzmán held a series of meetings in Houston on Wednesday with directors of international energy companies with investments in Argentina and with officials from the United States, as part of the visit he began to participate in the WAX Week 2022the world’s most prestigious annual energy event.
“We had meetings with some of the largest energy companies in the world, which showed a strong interest in Argentina,” said Guzmán after the bilateral meetings with directors of the companies Total, Shell and Chevron.
The minister specified that the dialogue centered on a work agenda “very productive to build conditions that give rise to increases in investment levels and production, in a sector that is strategic for the stability and growth of the country”, reported sources from the Palacio de Hacienda.
In the morning, Guzmán held a meeting with the president of Argentina and Total’s Southern Cone, Javier Rielo; and with the strategic vice president of Business Development, Research and Development, Exploration and Production, David Mendelson.
At the meeting with representatives of the French oil companythe investment portfolio in the country was analyzed and the opportunities offered by Argentina were discussed.
He then had a meeting with the president of shell, Gretchen Watkins, in which the owner of the company in Argentina, Sean Rooney, also participated; the Vice President of Finance for Exploration, Development and Shales, Katie Cottingim; and the Business Advisor, Katy Conrad.
After noon, Guzmán spoke at the CERA Week ministerial panel on “Access to energy, energy transformation: Latin American strategies”, after which he met with representatives of the US company Chevronwith whom he assessed the world energy situation in the context of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Participating in this last meeting were Clay Neff, President of Africa, Latin America and the Middle East; Eric Dunning, Executive Director for Latin America and President of Argentina; and Dante Ramos Manager, Corporate Affairs for Latin America including Argentina.
For his part, the Secretary of Energy, Darío Martínez, participated in a meeting with Gustavo Baquero, Senior VP of International Commercial Development of the Norwegian energy company equinor.
As part of his activities, Guzmán also met with the undersecretary of the United States Department of Energy, Andrew Light, with whom he analyzed the global energy situation and the implications of the geopolitical situation in prospects for the gas sector.
They also discussed the global initiative of zero emissionswhich Argentina has signed together with other countries of the world a few weeks ago, seeking to travel a path in which there are more sustainable energy structures.
“Argentina has very strong opportunities to contribute to this, both from renewable energy, in which we have competitive advantages, from the point of view of the provision of resources in our Patagonia with the windsand in our northern Argentina with the solar energy and also with the production of gasin particular of liquefied gas that today Argentina does not produce, and in which great opportunities are presented, taking into account the resources that the country has, ”explained Guzmán regarding the global zero emissions initiative.
Minister Martín Maximiliano Guzmán, Minister of Economy, Argentine Republic, and HE Diego Mesa Puyo, Minister of Mines and Energy, Colombia join Carlos Pascual at #CERAWeek for a ministerial dialogue on energy access, energy transformation, and Latin American strategies. pic.twitter.com/b0ef0JgLKT
— CERAWeek (@CERAWeek) March 10, 2022
In addition, the minister emphasized that “in this context of energy crisis, a global demand growth for liquefied natural gas” and anticipated that “for the future it is also a firm projection”. “In fact, in the global initiative for zero emissions, it is projected that in 2030 the demand for liquefied natural gas will be greater than today.”
At noon, the Minister of Economy also participated in a lunch in which the main speaker was the Secretary of Energy of the United States, Jennifer M. Granholm. Guzmán shared a table with Diego Mesa Puyo, Minister of Energy and Mining of Colombia; Sergio Affronti, CEO and Director of YPF; Carlos Pascual Vice President, Senior of Global Energy and International Affairs; Luis Cabra, General Director of Energy Transition, Technology, Institutional and Deputy CEO of Repsol.
Also in the game were Jillian Evanko, CEO and president of Chart Industries; Steven Kobos, President and CEO of Excelerate Energy; Octavio Simoes, owner and CEO of Tellurian; Brandon Spencer; president of ABB Energy Industries; Christina Verchere, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of OMV Petrom; and Joe Blommaert, president of ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions.
The delegation that accompanies Minister Guzmán is made up of the Legal and Administrative Secretary, Rita Tanuz; the undersecretary of Energy Planning, Santiago López Osornio; the Minister of Economy of Santa Cruz, Ignacio Perincioli; the Minister of Energy of Neuquén, Alejandro Monteiro; the Secretary for International Economic and Financial Affairs, Maia Colodenco, and the Deputy General Manager for Financial Regulation of the BCRA, Daniela Bossio.
