Latin American oil and gas expert to discuss region's trends at USEA

June 20, 2008
Jorge A. Pinon, currently energy fellow at the University of Miami's Center for Hemispheric Policy, will discuss petroleum industry trends in Latin America and the Caribbean on June 19 at the US Energy Association.

June 19: Jorge A. Pinon, currently energy fellow at the University of Miami's Center for Hemispheric Policy, will discuss petroleum industry trends in Latin America and the Caribbean from 1 to 3:30 p.m. in the US Energy Association's main conference room at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center's north tower.

Why it matters: Pinon, a former executive with Amoco Oil Latin America and BP Europe, made news this past week when he said that the Chinese are not drilling offshore Cuba, contrary to assertions by columnist George F. Will, Vice President Richard B. Cheney and several House Republican leaders.

Democrats promptly condemned the Republicans. "This is nothing more than Republican scare tactics. They have no energy policy other than to push for more drilling and veto alternative energy projects," said Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.).

Pinon's presentation will cover a wider range. It will focus on oil and gas production trends in Venezuela, Mexico and Brazil; the politics of PetroCaribe, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's program to sell discounted crude oil to the region's consuming countries that have been hit hard by surging prices, and developments in Cuba's upstream and downstream oil and gas sectors.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected]