Could Venezuela become a net oil importer?

[Refman + 207]

3 hours ago, Glenn Ellis said:

Strangely, from a retail marketing standpoint, here in Houston, I just saw two CITGO stations rebranded to PEMEX.

These are independently owned, so I wonder if supply is the issue.

PDVSA has its CITGO HQ on Eldridge here in Houston, but I don't see the traffic in that building like I used to.

Since RAMIREZ is guarding cash registers in Monaco, who is minding the store in their US operations?

Glenn that's very interesting, seems kind of weird (at least to me) that PEMEX would be opening gas stations in the US. Are these PEMEX owned stations, or are they just selling PEMEX branded gas?

 

UPDATE: Looks like they started this the end of 2015, and they now have 5 in Houston according to Google

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Mexico-s-Pemex-opens-Houston-gas-stations-in-bid-6674243.php

Edited June 27, 2018 by Refman
update with new info

[CMOP + 227]

5 hours ago, Glenn Ellis said:

Strangely, from a retail marketing standpoint, here in Houston, I just saw two CITGO stations rebranded to PEMEX.

These are independently owned, so I wonder if supply is the issue.

PDVSA has its CITGO HQ on Eldridge here in Houston, but I don't see the traffic in that building like I used to.

Since RAMIREZ is guarding cash registers in Monaco, who is minding the store in their US operations?

That's really interesting - had no idea Pemex would be in the United States. 
Makes sense - testing out brand loyalty from the Mexican Oil consumer. 

[jose chalhoub + 388]

I worked under the whole Ramirez administration and i can say that he is the main responsible for all the mess in what has become PDVSA now, he turned the venezuelan oil company into his dark money machine and masterfully he managed to balance between the needs of the Chavez bolivarian revolution and his personal lucrative businesses, rampant careless spending in meaningless things, and turning pdvsa also into a food provider (weird as it seems) but yes this and more weird things happened during his tenure. But why hasnt he been turned in U.S. justice or Venezuela's justice system now that the Maduro administration has been fiercely pursuing corruption (more like clash between factions to get the largest share of PDVSA). Definitely he is the main responsible for all the chaos reigning in PDVSA now. 

[Glenn Ellis + 57]

On 6/27/2018 at 3:03 PM, Refman said:

Glenn that's very interesting, seems kind of weird (at least to me) that PEMEX would be opening gas stations in the US. Are these PEMEX owned stations, or are they just selling PEMEX branded gas?

 

UPDATE: Looks like they started this the end of 2015, and they now have 5 in Houston according to Google

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Mexico-s-Pemex-opens-Houston-gas-stations-in-bid-6674243.php

The two locations on the WESTSIDE are independently owned.

One on Hwy6 and the other on I-10 West @ Wycliff in the ENERGY CORRIDOR

Both had been CITGO locations. According to the owner/operator the gas is US produced..

Although I was aware that PEMEX had opened their brand in SE HOUSTON a couple of years ago, this is the first rebranding I have seen of a location.

The SE HOUSTON area is largely populated by a hispanic demographic, so their marketing seems spot on.

Edited July 2, 2018 by Glenn Ellis

[CMOP + 227]

It's been happening here in Mexico - many PEMEX locations have been rebranded to - BP, Chevron, Exxon, just to name a few. 
Quite incredible how rebranding gas stations can change the landscape of a city / country.