Letter from Mexico: Deepwater ambitions drowning in debt
Mexico must harness the vast resources in the Gulf to meet the government’s goal of energy autonomy
Deepwater Gulf of Mexico is a province retaining significant potential for oil and gas exploration wins, but Mexico’s search for these prizes has lagged significantly behind that of the US. Now, under the presidency of Andres Lopez Obrador, Mexico is seeking to recentre the oil industry as the country’s primary lever for socioeconomic development. And the country must try to capitalise on existing deepwater Gulf resources and find more to make Lopez Obrador’s dream of energy sovereignty viable. It is likely too late, though, for the basin to contribute materially to a 2024 output target of 2.6mn bl/d. Despite the current administration’s stated focus on its NOC reducing debt, Pemex remains t
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices






