For more details, please call Kenneth Downey at +1 617 866 5138

Service Benefits

The service provides objective, independent research that can help your organization

• Evaluate the regional political issues affecting regulatory and fiscal terms for existing assets in conventional resources, natural gas, and exotic liquids.
• Analyze the key market fundamentals for new investments in oil, natural gas, and power.
• Assess investment patterns and requirements for new energy infrastructure—including for power generation, refining capacity, natural gas, and liquid fuel transportation.
• Anticipate key political and economic trends that could lead to the emergence of new investment opportunities and partnerships.

Future Research Themes: Big Questions

Members receive strategic reports that address questions of critical importance to the regional energy industry:

• How will large exploration and development opportunities in the region evolve?
• How will market balance, fuel mix, and reliability issues develop over the next years?
• Will climate change concerns gain momentum in the region, fostering large investments?
• Regional Dynamics: What are the signposts for change?
• What will be the winning business models and strategies?

Recent Research

• Colombia’s Energy Balance: Running Out of Gas? Colombia’s National Gas Program may be literally "running out of gas," sparking speculation and uncertainty about whether supply can meet projected demand over the long term. Some are viewing the government’s new regulations in response to this shortage as further government intervention in the commercial workings of the market. This IHS CERA Decision Brief analyzes the state of the Colombian natural gas industry, including the supply-demand balance and the focus of the Regulatory Commission’s actions.
• Mexico’s New Congress Will Struggle to Pass Major Energy Reforms Through 2012. On September 1, 2009, Mexico’s Congress began its new session following the July 5 midterm election. The election has created a very different outlook for the second half of President Felipe Calderón’s Administration. The government’s ability to advance its energy agenda will depend heavily on the political maneuvering among coalitions in the recently installed legislature. This raises major concerns regarding Mexico’s energy future, the role of private players in the short to medium term, and the prospects for further reforms.
• Awakening the Presalt Giant: Toward Optimal Allocation of Risks and Rewards. The potentially world-class discoveries in the Santos, Campos, and Espírito Santo Basins presalt areas could have a lasting impact on Brazil’s long-term production capacity, its hydrocarbon industry, and government oil rents. These discoveries have raised questions about the current fiscal regime, the fair and optimal allocation of rents, the level of government participation, and the industry development model to use to maximize the multiple benefits from such developments. Decisions regarding fiscal regime and industry model will be crucial in defining the kind of industry that "the Southern Giant" will be able to build in the coming decades, the level of government rent it will generate, and the value of the industry to the domestic economy.
• Working With Brazil’s New Natural Gas Framework. Brazil’s new regulatory natural gas framework meets a need in the gas industry by providing legal stability in the sector. Although the intent of the law is to encourage more investment as well as competition in the natural gas sector, especially in the midstream, there are several obstacles to taking advantage of the new opportunities. Some of these barriers stem from not addressing other parts of the value chain or potential new regulation in the upstream.

Research Deliverables

Latin America Energy members have access to one or more of the following geographic focus areas:

• Andean Energy: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Trinidad
• Mexico Energy: Mexico
• Southern Cone Energy: Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Uruguay

• Latin America Energy Watch (three times a year)
  • IHS CERA’s integrated view of the Latin American energy landscape, focusing alternately on natural gas, oil, and power
  • Examines key developments and trends across the different segments of the energy value chain
  • Provides country-level, five-year oil, gas, and power supply-demand outlooks
• Country Profiles (Oil, Natural Gas, and Power)
  • Economic and political overview
  • Industry structure and players
  • Regulatory environment
  • Supply and demand analysis
  •  Pricing

• Research driven by the service’s Big Questions, which have implications for corporate leaders, investors, government policymakers, and energy users. The answers to these questions will set the stage for strategic future of the industry in the region.

• Country price outlooks (five years)
• Country supply and demand (oil, natural gas, power) outlooks (five years)

Access to research staff

Multimedia conference calls to help members interpret key trends and market developments.

Events: Advisory Service members may participate in exclusive client gatherings fostering interaction among senior-level decision makers and IHS CERA experts. Membership includes seats at IHS CERA’s Executive Roundtables held each spring and fall. Members may also attend CERAW^_EEK , featuring IHS CERA’s Executive Conference and related events, held annually in Houston, for a reduced fee.