A Gulf Coast business development mission to oil-rich southeastern Mexico last week was fruitful in advancing cooperation between Louisiana and neighbors to the south, state and energy officials tell The Advertiser.
“We were able to secure more than 200 face-to-face meetings involving Louisiana businesses participating in this business development mission,” says Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson.
The group secured commitments from the Mexican state of Tabasco that they would lead a delegation of energy-related businesses to Louisiana this year, Pierson says, and that there would be more opportunities for Louisiana companies to engage with Mexican companies.
The mission—which involved representatives from Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Florida—was conducted last week amid a backdrop of a testy dispute between the U.S. and Mexico governments about construction of a border wall to divide the countries.
Pierson says last week’s meeting involving Louisiana officials was held far from the Mexican border and was conducted respectfully.
Under President Enrique Peña Nieto, Mexico has opened up its oil and gas business to international investment. The country has spent more than two years talking with Louisiana energy companies to gain insights about developing prospects in shallow and deepwater Mexico, where the state-operated Mexican oil company has little experience.
“They’ve figured they can’t do it on their own,” says Ben Broussard, Louisiana Oil & Gas Association marketing and membership development director. “They need involvement from folks who know how to do it. Our companies have serviced deep water for decades. They know how to do it well, safety, within budgets. It shouldn’t be a surprise they are interested in what we have.”
