How Mexico can advance its petroleum technology without political risk

This paper reports that Mexico's National Science Council (NSC) has made a strong appeal to strengthen Mexico's efforts in science. The energy sector is given special treatment, and NSC urges the federal administration to take a sharper look at the medium and long term implications of its modernization plans. The council urges greater efforts at energy conservation and encourages Mexico's State Petroleum Institute (IMP) to develop the horizontal drilling techniques that Pemex currently obtains only from foreign contractors. Aside from the value of NSC's well-intended advice to the IMP, the council's vision of the energy challenge of Mexico - and of the specific role the petroleum sector within that challenge - is narrowly conceived