Pemex, Mexico's state-owned oil company, has unveiled a roadmap to significantly ramp up domestic natural gas production over the next six years. The strategy aims to increase output by 155 percent by 2030, marking a pivot away from the country's heavy dependence on U.S. gas imports.
According to the company's projections, the plan relies on three distinct operational pillars. The first goal is to raise baseline production to 4,049 million cubic feet per day. Officials then expect conventional production projects to contribute an additional 663 million cubic feet, while the development of complex, non-conventional fields is projected to add another 1,159 million cubic feet daily.
Despite Mexico’s long-standing reputation as a major oil producer, the country possesses vast, largely untapped gas reserves. Pemex leadership recently emphasized that these resources remain the primary engine for future energy independence.
Unlocking non-conventional reserves
"We have significant potential in conventional fields, which hold 83 trillion cubic feet, but in non-conventional, we have much more—141 trillion cubic feet that we can leverage, and that is the great opportunity we have," said the head of Pemex. The company views these non-conventional resources as the critical path toward meeting domestic demand.
Geographically, the strategy focuses on two distinct regions. Traditional conventional gas production remains concentrated in the southern part of the country. In contrast, the vast non-conventional resources are primarily located throughout the central and southern corridors of Mexico.
Industry analysts have noted for years that Mexico’s gas sector has suffered from historical under-investment. By prioritizing these specific geological assets, Pemex aims to reverse the trend of importing the majority of its natural gas from its northern neighbor.
The success of the 2030 plan depends on the company's ability to navigate the technical challenges associated with complex, non-conventional extraction. If realized, the increase would fundamentally alter Mexico's energy profile and shift the balance of power in the regional gas market.