Insulza, José Miguel

Energy and development in South America

LFLACSO-01-Insulza.pdf (159.88 KB)

The discussion of energy in Latin America departs from three basic and shared premises. The first is that energy is a central concern of every country in the world, regardless of its size or importance in global affairs. The second is that energy is an essential component of development. The third is that there has also been a strong relationship between energy and politics, especially oil and politics.

Rojas Aravena, Francisco

Energy integration in Latin America: limits and posibilities

LFLACSO-02-Rojas.pdf (162.43 KB)

Latin America accounts for 12 percent of world production of natural gas, and the largest reserves are concentrated in the Andean nations of Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela. The region is a net exporter of oil and energy in general, but the distribution of resources is highly unequal: Venezuela (PDVSA), Brazil (Petrobrás), and Mexico (PEMEX) together account for 90 percent of oil reserves in the region. Developing energy resources requires long-term strategies; for such longterm strategies to be viable, trust is an intangible and decisive asset.

O´Keefe, Thomas Andrew

The crisis in the Argentine energy sector and its Regional impact

LFLACSO-03-O’Keefe.pdf (168.51 KB)

Argentina's current energy crisis is primarily the result of internal political dynamics. In response to the fury of the Argentine people towards their entire political class following the implosion of the economy in 2001 and 2002, the transition governments that followed adopted populist measures and put the burden of "paying" for the collapse of the Convertibility Plan -which had tied the Argentine peso in a one-to-one parity with the U.S. dollar for a decade- on foreign investors.

Landerretche, Oscar

Chile: maintaining growth and securing supply

LFLACSO-04-Landerretche.pdf (247.01 KB)

Small countries like Chile are dependent on energy imports, and as such cannot seek anything other than free trade, adequate rules of the game, and strong international institutions in order to secure its access to international energy markets.

Franco, RoseAnne

Venezuela: energy, the tool of choise

LFLACSO-05-Franco.pdf (195.23 KB)

It is impossible to discuss energy in Latin American without addressing Venezuela. The country houses the largest hydrocarbon reserves in the region, registering some 80 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and 152 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas. So it is not surprising that the administration of President Hugo Chávez has decided to tap these vast hydrocarbon assets to move his ambitious regional energy integration and social development agendas forward.

Trindade, Sergio C.

Diversifying the Energy Matrix: the case of Brazil

LFLACSO-06-Trindade.pdf (168.69 KB)

This essay reflects my own experience with energy, development, technology, and environment issues in Brazil and elsewhere, with specific reference to Brazil's development and the role of energy services.

Vacaflor, Humberto

Energy and bad luck in Bolivia

LFLACSO-07-Vacaflor.pdf (165.71 KB)

There is a special alliance of metals and natural resources in Bolivia that further demonstrates how these natural resources foment bad luck. Bolivia's link to the international economy is the most ancient in all of South America. It boasts the largest silver deposit in the world, Potosí. The Spaniards began exploiting Potosí's silver deposits in 1545, deciding at the time to also use coca leaves to overcome some glitches in the system of production. Miners, for example, were forced to remain inside the mines for six days at a time, from Monday to Saturday. To find the necessary stamina and offset hunger and fatigue, workers began chewing coca leaves. They were thus able to forget about eating, drinking water, resting, and even sleeping.

Spurrier Baquerizo, Walter

Oil and the transformation of the Ecuadorian State

LFLACSO-08-Spurrier.pdf (160.28 KB)

Ecuador's two main resources are oil and hydroelectricity. Oil was discovered in the late 1960s, and production began in August 1972. Production was initially 250,000 barrels per day, and today has increased to over 500,000 bpd. Oil production as a share of GDP peaked in 1974 (34 percent), and today makes up 20 percent of Ecuador's GDP.

Ecuador, like Mexico, is a country with considerable yet, relatively speaking, limited oil reserves. A significant portion of its production is allocated to domestic consumption.

Mares, David

Energy, development, and regional integration

LFLACSO-09-Mares.pdf (207.94 KB)

This paper provides an overview of three general themes:

1) The relationship among energy, development and institutions;

2) The history of energy cooperation and integration in Latin America; and

3) The major obstacles to further energy cooperation and integration in the region.

A key variable that emerges in each of these subject areas is the institutional context within which energy policy is made. This institutional context is a key determinant of whether or not energy policy contributes to development and promotes stable regional integration.