CAPITAL: GUATEMALA CITY
MONETARY UNIT: QUETZAL
REFINING CAPACITY: 22,000 B/CD
OIL PRODUCTION: 22,100 B/D
OIL RESERVES: 526 MILLION BBL
GAS RESERVES: 109 BCF
Mexican and Guatemalan officials again discussed the proposed sale of Mexican natural gas in Central America via a pipeline through Guatemala.
The pipeline project has been in the talking stage for years. Discussions in 2000 centered on extending the pipeline beyond Guatemala into
other Central American countries. Guatemala, the only Central American country with oil production, was believed to have gas resources but had not exploited them.
Mexico did not have enough gas for its own use but was launching large gas development and utilization programs. A pipeline from Mexico would allow Guatemala to import gas from the US via swap agreements with Mexico, Guatemalan officials said.
They said they were open to importation of liquefied natural gas or an even more ambitious plan of building a pipeline from Colombia or Venezuela to carry gas supplies to Central America.
Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Houston, purchased Union Pacific Resources Co. during the year, becoming operator of Xan oil field in northern Guatemala formerly operated by Basic Resources Corp. and Norcen Energy Resources Ltd.
Anadarko's net Xan field production averaged 16,900 b/d in fourth quarter 2000. Anadarko management said in early 2001 that it would consider divesting its Central and South American properties.
