---
title: "Mexico Downstream Transformation: A Special Report from OPIS"
description: An OPIS 2021 primer on how Mexico's fuel liberalization has evolved under the Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador administration.
image: https://info.opis.com/hubfs/Mexico-report-cover-2021.png
---

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# Mexico Downstream Transformation

An OPIS 2021 primer on how Mexico's fuel liberalization has shaped under the Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador administration. Includes exclusive data and analysis from OPIS's recent survey of the Mexico fuel market. **Both English and Spanish versions are provided.**

**![Mexico-report-cover-2021](https://info.opis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Mexico-report-cover-2021.png?width=701&name=Mexico-report-cover-2021.png "Mexico-report-cover-2021")

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**## What's in this special report?

Halfway through Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's presidential term, Mexico's fuels market underwent many regulatory and policy changes. In this OPIS primer, understand the evolution of the country's downstream sector and the perspective market participants have about it.

Here are just a few key points from the report:

![64percent-icon-orange](https://info.opis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/64percent-icon-orange.png?width=125&name=64percent-icon-orange.png "64percent-icon-orange")

The negative feeling being experienced in Mexico seems to be limited to the short-term horizon as 64% of those surveyed by OPIS still see Mexico’s fuel market as an attractive place to invest in the long-term.

![Since first import permits were issued in 2017, the supply share of private companies has grown, surpassing the 25% mark in 2021.](https://info.opis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/25percent-icon-orange.png?width=125&name=25percent-icon-orange.png "Since first import permits were issued in 2017, the supply share of private companies has grown, surpassing the 25% mark in 2021.")

The number of private importers has fallen from 55 to 10 under the Lopez Obrador government. However, their overall supply share has grown. Since first import permits were issued in 2017, the supply share of private companies has grown, surpassing the 25% mark in 2021.

![Since fuel prices were liberalized in 2017, the private sector has built 14 terminals with over 10 million bbl of combined fuel storage capacity.](https://info.opis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/10million-icon-orange.png?width=125&name=10million-icon-orange.png "Since fuel prices were liberalized in 2017, the private sector has built 14 terminals with over 10 million bbl of combined fuel storage capacity.")

In more than 20 years, Pemex built only two new trunk fuel pipelines and a single fuel terminal, government data reveals. Since fuel prices were liberalized in 2017, the private sector has built 14 terminals with over 10 million bbl of combined fuel storage capacity, according to the OPIS Mexico Fuel Report Analytical Supplement.

## About the Authors

![Daniel Rodriguez](https://info.opis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Staff%20Images/Daniel-Rodriguez-circle.png?width=200&name=Daniel-Rodriguez-circle.png "Daniel Rodriguez")

**Daniel Rodriguez**  
**Associate Director, Mexico Fuel Markets, OPIS by IHS Markit**

Daniel leads OPIS's Mexico spot pricing team, developing new price references, analytics solutions and fostering market transparency. Previously, he worked as Mexico senior editor with S&P Global Platts, and prior to this he worked as a reporter with June Watten-Nickle’s Energy Group in Calgary, Canada. He has covered the Mexican energy reform since 2016, reporting on key landmarks such as the upstream and electricity auction rounds, the CENAGAS and Pemex Logistics open season as well as the fuel market liberalization.

![Karla-Omana-circle](https://info.opis.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Staff%20Images/Karla-Omana-circle.png?width=200&name=Karla-Omana-circle.png "Karla-Omana-circle")

**Karla Omaña**  
**Price Editor, Mexico Fuel Markets, OPIS by IHS Markit**

Karla is part of OPIS's Mexico spot pricing team, focused on developing new price  
references, analytics solutions and fostering market transparency. As a journalist,  
she previously worked as principal energy reporter in Mexico City-based Reforma  
Newspaper. She has covered upstream, downstream and electric markets,  
reporting key landmarks through the liberalization of the Mexican energy sector  
and policy changes under the Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador administration.

© 2021 | OPIS by IHS Markit

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