Confiep asks to extend Talara contracts for three more years

Guilds that bring together some of the most powerful companies in the country requested this Wednesday the reprivatization of lots VI and Z-69 of Talara, whose contracts are about to expire, for a period of at least three years, in order to start a new process carried out by Perupetro that includes them.

In a session that brought together the heads of the National Confederation of Private Business Institutions (Confiep), the National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE) and Comex, the private representatives pointed out that the Government’s decision to reverse the lots through of Petroperú would be inadequate because, among other aspects, it lacks professionals to guarantee exploration in the area, in addition to relegating the interest of the current operators to carry out.

“We consider that a temporary extension should be made to allow preparation for the transfer to the highest bidder, one that will return the best benefits to Peru. And that will last at least three years for an orderly transition,” said Alfonso Bustamante, president of Confiep.

In addition, he pointed out that Petroperú does not have the resources to enter the lots or the vessels to operate the Z-2B marine platforms.

This position was supported by Víctor Gobitz, president of the SNMPE – an organization that also brings together state oil companies from another country – who stated that oil exploration is a high-risk activity “designed for private companies to take on.”
However, Gobitz recognized that we continue to be a country with a crude oil deficit – in terms of reserves and production – something that was thought to be moderated 30 years ago, when the northwest was entrusted to companies that, in some cases, had no experience in the sector. sector.

“We are not opposed to the participation of Petroperú. It is regulated that it can accompany the process, but we are emphasizing that State resources are used appropriately,” said the head of the SNMPE.

Deep horizons

The former president of Perupetro, Aurelio Ochoa Alencastre, rejected this statement and recalled that the Talara lots are an ongoing business with zero risk that generates more than US$200 million of EBITDA each year, even though the current operators, who seek to stay until change of command in 2026, they dedicated themselves to “only draining the previously discovered oil” and making the minimum expenditure on exploration, to the point that national production fell from 125,000 to 40,000 barrels per day (bpd).

In addition, Ochoa specified that Petroperú is being required to reuse the immediate income generated by Talara to increase production, as well as carry out exploration activities in the coming years, but accompanied by a partner, as is the case in Lot 192.

For his part, petroleum engineer Enrique Bisetti clarified that if the state company does not have the barges demanded by Confiep, it is because they were precisely stripped of them during privatization, without receiving anything in return despite the fact that it maintained its subsidiary role of 30 years. bring fuel to where private companies do not go.

At this point, he explained that the oil industry today is managed with contracting companies – as is the case with current operators – that carry out activities on the fields.

The academy does not approve of the business position either. Alexei Huerta, professor at UNI, explained that there are up to 31 areas to explore and subsequently exploit hydrocarbons throughout the territory, so there are no reasons to argue that “private investment is being driven away.”

Proof of this is that today the Anadarko company is preparing a million-dollar investment in lots Z-61, Z-62 and Z-63 off the coast of La Libertad to find no less than 200,000 bpd.

Finally, he maintained that Perupetro is authorized by law to grant lots through direct negotiation, as was done before, without further complaint, in favor of private companies.

Alistan denounces the president of Perupetro

The Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) and Perupetro have expressed their interest in financially strengthening Petroperú, the only company that acts as a reference for declining fuel prices in the market, through the oil income that would be obtained with the lots of Talara.

Fuerza Popular, through Congressman Jorge Morante, is preparing a criminal complaint at the Comptroller’s Office level against Isabel Tafur, president of Perupetro.

Confiep and SNMPE asked to follow the example of Colombia’s energy policies. However, in that country, the state company Ecopetrol has priority over hydrocarbon resources.