Permitorium in the Gulf to Be Lifted -- Absolutely Nothing To Do With the Bakken -- Or, Unfortunately, the US

Over the years I've posted several stories about how Mexico lost its groove with regard to developing its oil industry in the Gulf of Mexico. It was not the dwindling reserves but the government policies restricting development. Stories are easy to find through google. (Speaking of google, has anyone read that Google now is petitioning a judge to declare some Apple patents so "essential" to the world that Apple needs to release them to anyone who wants them? But I digress.)

Well, it turns out that Mexico has seen the light and doesn't want to participate with the US in another "lost decade." Mexico has now philosophically lifted the permitorium in the Gulf but regulatory problems still exist:

Mexico is seeking to reverse seven years of crude output declines, including the lowest daily average since 1990 last year, after output from its Cantarell field, the world’s third- largest deposit when it was discovered in 1976, slid more than 75 percent since 2006. Pemex missed its goal of increasing output for the past two years.

The company’s international plans are focused on finding partners for deepwater projects in the U.S. coast of the Gulf of Mexico and for shale in the U.S., Suarez Coppel, 53, said. Mexican regulatory delays prevented one possible deal for deepwater exploration in the U.S., he said, without elaborating.

So, at least Mexico is trying to remove its permitorium in the Gulf of Mexico.