Mexico's Gas Imports and Production Rises in November, Wind Power Sets Record

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Written by Richard Finlayson, Senior International Editor for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--In October and November 2012, Mexico's natural gas imports rose year-on-year as did domestic production of natural gas.

The national oil and fuel utility Pemex imported 1.09 billion cubic feet of natural gas in November and 1.29 billion cubic feet in October, which was up from the 1 billion cubic feet in October 2011, according to data from the country's national energy database.

On the domestic production side, the state-owned company's exploration and production arm produced 6.56 billion cubic feet of natural gas in November, up from 6 billion cubic feet in October and 6.36 billion cubic feet in October 2011.

Thermal power plants were the major natural gas consumers in November at 1.89 billion cubic feet, with the industrial sector consuming 1.64 billion cubic feet. Both sectors' consumption was up year-over-year, with thermal plants consuming 1.64 billion cubic feet and industry 1.21 billion cubic feet in November 2011.

Pemex (Petroleos Mexicanos) imported 109,000 barrels per day of liquefied petroleum gas, which was the most per month since November 2011, when it imported 122,000 barrels per day.

In the drive to provide clean (or cleaner) energy, Mexican wind power set a generation record with 282 gigawatt-hours (GWh) supplied to the grid in November. This was up 233% year-over-year from 84.5 GWh in November 2011, according to CFE, the country's central power authority. In October, installed wind power capacity stood at more than 1,300 megawatts.

In November, geothermal generation reached 465 GWh, which was down from 515 GWH year-over-year, and nuclear supplied 503 GWh, down year-over-year from 683 GWh. Solar power plants supplied a marginal 161 megawatt-hours (MWh).

Hydropower generation in November was down year-over-year to 1.61 terrawatt-hours (TWh), from 2.62 TWh in October and from 2.87 TWh the same month in 2011.

Thermal power plants' contribution to the grid was up to 13.9 TWh in November, compared with 12.9 TWh in November 2011.

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