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| South America and its energy resources |
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Latin America appears expectant before the international economy. With great performances in the last decade, having received millionaire investments in natu-ral resources, infrastructure and the services sectors, the region has also conso-lidated its democratic stability, an inescapable factor at the time of advancing on the route towards development. Against this background, the sub |
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Against this background, the subject of energy glistens with special interest at the moment of projecting the future, taking into account the more outstanding rises that they have been experiencing. What is happening with petroleum and its historically high prices is the best example. One of the greatest beneficiaries of this trend has been Venezuela. The country displays a comfortable si-tuation on the basis of its immense oil resources. And not only that, it has known how to use these hydrocarbons as a real geopolitical tool.
Ecuador is an interesting case. Al-though the election of President Rafael Correa brought about some fears, the reality indicates that in the long term no great controversies have arisen and, in addition, the country has continued generating successful associations for exploring and exploiting hydrocarbons.
Its neighbour, Colombia, is an historical coal producer that today is taking advan-tage with rising production to fulfil the requirements that the planet is demanding. Also, today the country wants to take advantage of its carbon extraction expe-rience to give a great jump to other minerals, especially copper and gold. Towards the South, Perú is living a true golden era. With rising economic growth at 9%, today it is a reliable participant in the subject of power and mining resour-ces. And a negative change in the medium term is not expected.
Chile is a special case. Equipped with remarkable mining wealth (particularly in copper), and with recognition regarding its political stability and economic growth, its Achilles heel is its power supply. After the uncertainty that the cut in natural gas-supply originating from Argentina brought about, today it is ad-vancing towards diversification with plans in LNG, new thermo-electrical power stations plus geothermal and Aeolian possibilities. In addition, it is developing an increasing debate on the use of nuclear power.
To the other side of the Andes, Argentina has been an emblematic case of di-sassociation: on the one hand generously endowed in the possession of power resources, but on the other, erratic in the administration of these ones. An exam-ple: there are many analysts who maintain that beyond its natural gas reserves, it would not be surprising that in the long term they will be required to import LNG. And finally Brazil, the South American giant; it would seem to move at its own pace: it holds great hydro resources, it also has petroleum (with outstanding announcements in the last few weeks), and natural gas, in addition, it is moving ahead with a powerful plan for renewable energy supplies. Thus, it is no wonder that international analysts position the country as one of the new economic pro-mises along with China, India and Russia; known as BRIC. |
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