Editors Note: Azhanty Jheman  provided this interview on the basis of their employment with ENI Mexico at the time.

What are the key projects your team has recently been involved in?

The legal department provided strategic advice to Eni Mexico in five blocks where it is the operator and in another two blocks, where it is a non-operator partner. One of the key projects was Area 1, where Eni Mexico was the first private company to start production in offshore field “Miztón” in July 2019. Additionally, Eni Mexico became the first private company operating an FPSO in Mexico and the first cargo from MIAMTE FPSO was successfully offloaded and exported in April 2022. To achieve these important milestones, the legal department analyzed the regulatory framework applicable to ports and the energy sectors to fully comply with the regulation.

What do you think the biggest risks are facing the oil and gas industry? And how are you preparing your team to face those risks?

Currently, companies and the regulatory agencies are learning from each other. The government is enforcing its supervisory faculties and companies are identifying, during the operations, areas to improve and clarify aspects of the regulation. It has been a learning process for the entire industry because the regulatory framework is new and has gray areas that result in different interpretations on how to comply with the regulatory and contractual obligations. Taking this into account, I encourage my team to think out of the box in how to provide innovative legal opinions that address the main concerns of the company and the regulatory agencies. This strategy helps to open the communication channels between the private industry and the government to achieve common goals for the benefit of the country.