Mexico’s new environmental regulator for oil and gas is modeling requirements on the U.S., but the agency’s overly broad mandate and lack of political independence could limit its reach, industry observers said.
When Mexico opened up its oil and gas industry to private investment in 2013, it also created the National Safety, Energy and Environmental Agency (ASEA) to ensure environmental and safety standards for the sector.
Its expansive mandate includes responsibility for all environmental permitting for Mexico’s oil and gas sector—from exploration and extraction to production and storage to distribution and sales—for companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp., ...