VIEW FROM THE TOP
REVIVING A SOUTHEAST GIANT ALEJANDRO MORENO CÁRDENAS Governor of the State of Campeche 58
Q: What impact does the state of Campeche have on the
of Ciudad del Carmen, such as UTCAM. The private sector
oil and gas industry, particularly for offshore operations?
also plays an important role in developing human capital
A: Most of Mexico’s oil production comes from the Bay of
by creating training programs and using local workforce
Campeche, off the eastern coast of the Gulf of Mexico, from
and service providers.
the fields of Cantarell and Ku-Maloob-Zaap. The production from that bay amounts to approximately 1.9 million b/d, which
The government of Campeche also created the state’s
represents three-quarters of Mexico’s oil production. With
Energy Agency, a decentralized public organism from the
these numbers, it is no wonder that the oil and gas industry
Ministry of Sustainable Energy Development with budgetary
accounts for 80 percent of Campeche’s economy, which is
and operational autonomy. The Energy Agency will manage
mainly confined to the oil and gas hub of Ciudad del Carmen.
and promote the development of energy projects in a safe, reliable, profitable and sustainable way to generate new
Q: How is Campeche collaborating with the private sector
employment opportunities and welfare for the citizens of
and academia to encourage the industry’s development?
Campeche.
A: Despite the downturn the energy industry has experienced over the last couple of years, it will remain
Q: What are the competitive advantages that make the
a major driver of economic prosperity and security in
state a strategic and stable entity for investment?
Campeche. With over 40 years of experience in the industry,
A: Ciudad del Carmen and the city of Campeche were in
Ciudad del Carmen remains Mexico’s oil and gas capital.
the Top 10 cities with the highest quality of life in Mexico,
We have been working very closely with the private sector
according to the 2014 national quality of life study carried
and academia to make sure it stays this way. We are aware
out by the consultancy firm Mercer. The study evaluated
that with the Energy Reform new operators and service
11 criteria: political and social environment, economic
providers will come to Campeche and compete with local
environment, labor market, socio-cultural environment,
companies, and we want to be prepared. Having said that,
healthcare, schools and education, public and transport
we are confident that local suppliers have the experience
services, entertainment, consumer goods, housing and
and skills needed to compete with international companies.
natural environment.
They will simply need to adapt to the new landscape and the challenges that will come with it.
In terms of security, Campeche is proudly one of the most peaceful states in Mexico, according to a 2015 study
The Energy Reform requires different minimum levels
carried out by the Institute for Economics and Peace, and
of local content depending on each contract phase and
has had the lowest crime rate in the country for the past
area. We are working closely with academia to align the
five years. We understand the importance of safety and
qualifications of our graduates with the needs of the energy
security, especially for international companies that come
industry. The lack of English-speaking labor could become
from developed economies and have higher standards
a barrier that inhibits locals from working in international
in these areas. Among other factors, we have broad
companies. To prevent this from happening, we are
energy resources, a young and skilled labor force and a
implementing bilingual degrees in the public universities
recently modernized and enlarged port, offering a wide supply of services for the oil industry and a privileged strategic location in the Campeche Sound, the country’s
Alejandro Moreno has been the Governor of the State of
most important in terms of hydrocarbons reserves and
Campeche since 2015. A lawyer, Moreno has wide experience
production. Campeche has a lot to offer to international
in the Mexican political sphere. Before becoming governor, he
companies looking to expand their businesses into the
was a congressman in the XIII legislature
southern region of the country.
