Mexico's oil regulator, constrained by 政府, dropped 計画（する）s to 罰金 Pemex
By Stefanie Eschenbacher
MEXICO CITY, July 12 (Reuters) - Mexico's oil regulator 棚上げにするd 計画（する）s to 課す at least three 罰金s against the 国家の energy company Pemex for 違反s at the country's most 約束ing new fields, two dozen 以前 unreported 文書s showed and three sources 確認するd.
It is the 最新の 調印する of a 弱めるd regulator, which, after 政府-支援するd changes in the leadership, lets Pemex operate with より小数の 制限s ーするために help reach the 大統領，／社長's ambitious 生産／産物 goals, Reuters 報告（する）／憶測ing shows.
The 合法的な and 行政の 文書s, all 時代遅れの between June and August last year, 含む／封じ込めるd 観察s and photographic 証拠 from unannounced field visits by 公式の／役人s that 暴露するd several 違反s.
草案 notifications of 罰金s, which were not 調印するd nor sent, and the 関係のある correspondence sent to Pemex 詳細（に述べる） the 違反s and 合法的な consequences.
The 文書s Reuters reviewed do not 含む／封じ込める 推論する／理由s for why the 罰金s did not 前進する その上の; but the three sources said the 罰金s were 停止（させる）d in the run-up to and after the leadership changes at the regulator last year.
大統領 Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's 政府 取って代わるd the 長，率いる and a 上級の 公式の／役人 of the 国家の 炭化水素s （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限 (CNH), who had challenged the 明言する／公表する company, with former Pemex 公式の／役人s between August and November.
Since the leadership changes, the three sources said 上級の 公式の／役人s had told them on two separate occasions, when discussing the 草案s, that they should no longer 罰金 Pemex.
Two other sources at the regulator 追加するd that they were also 教えるd 口頭で by the same 上級の 公式の／役人s to "support" the 明言する／公表する energy company i n reaching the 生産／産物 goals 始める，決める by the 政府.
The sources were speaking on the 条件 of anonymity because they were not 権限を与えるd to discuss the 事柄.
Reuters was unable to find documentation on any 公式の／役人 change in 政策 on 罰金s by the regulator, whose 合法的な 責任／義務s 含む 評価するing and 持つ／拘留するing Pemex accountable. Under Mexico's transparency 法律s, communications put in 令状ing can be requested and 得るd by 新聞記者／雑誌記者s and other groups.
Pemex, the regulator, the energy 省 and the 大統領，／社長's office did not 答える／応じる to 詳細（に述べる）d questions and several requests for comment.
The country's largest contributor to 明言する／公表する coffers, Pemex is also the world's most indebted energy company. 大統領 Lopez Obrador has 約束d since his 選挙運動 that he would make the country energy self-十分な.
The two dozen 文書s from the regulator and Pemex showed that 公式の／役人s started last summer building a 事例／患者 for three 罰金s at the country's most 約束ing new fields: Ixachi in Veracruz, and Quesqui and Tupilco in Tabasco.
At all three fields, the regulator had planned to 罰金 Pemex for 演習ing 井戸／弁護士席s without the 訂正する 許すs; in Ixachi and Quesqui, it also 設立する other 違反s - 含むing some that led to 過度の 量s of natural gas 存在 burnt off.
One picture, 追加するd as supporting 証拠 for the Ixachi 罰金, showed a 抱擁する column of 黒人／ボイコット smoke rising from an open-炭坑，オーケストラ席 ゆらめく where gas and other 炭化水素 製品s were 存在 deliberately destroyed because of a 欠如（する） of 組織／基盤／下部構造.
The 過程s for 問題／発行するing 罰金s were all 前進するd by last summer, the 文書s showed, with only final 量s and dates for 問題／発行するing them to be 決定するd. Three of the sources at the regulator 確認するd this.
上級の 公式の／役人s at the regulator had already discussed the 提案するd 罰金 for Ixachi in a 会合 on July 21, the 文書s showed, and the one for Quesqui on August 9.
SHIFT AWAY FROM FINES
The same three sources said Pemex 公式の／役人s and the new leadership at the regulator had argued that the 明言する／公表する company should not be 罰金d for 違反s because oil and gas activities are 戦略の and a 優先 for the country.
In one Pemex 文書 時代遅れの August 31 last year and seen by Reuters, a Pemex 公式の／役人 wrote to the regulator that some "緊急" 対策 like 演習ing a 井戸／弁護士席 at Ixachi without 許す were "technically and economically 正当化するd for the 利益 of the Mexican 明言する／公表する".
The 文書 was 調印するd by Rafael Guerrero, then Pemex's 合法的な 代表者／国会議員 before the regulator, who was 任命するd 長，率いる of the technical 分割 of the regulator in the changes last year.
Pemex and Guerrero did not 答える／応じる to a request for comment.
In Pemex and the 政府, the 転換 away from 罰金s was also noticed: two sources working in the company's 探検 and 生産／産物, and one at the energy 省, told Reuters 公式の／役人s were now 単に 問題／発行するing "推薦s" for change when 演説（する）／住所ing 違反s of 規則s that might have drawn 罰金s in the past.
公式の／役人s from the regulator visited Quesqui again unannounced in 中央の-April this year and 公式文書，認めるd 広大な 量s of gas and other 炭化水素 製品s 存在 burnt off after a 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd 電気の 失敗 at the 工場／植物, the sources said.
Their visit was 関係のない to the 罰金 for 違反s at the same field last summer that did not 前進する; the sources said so far no 付加 罰金 has been 始めるd.
Before Lopez Obrador's 政府 取って代わるd the leadership at the regulator, Pemex had been 罰金d at least three times for 違反s at Ixachi and Quesqui, Reuters 報告（する）／憶測d last year. 罰金s or （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） from visits are not made public.
Until the leadership changes, the regulator was 広範囲にわたって considered the last 独立した・無所属 機関 trying to keep checks and balances on Pemex.
The energy （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限 and 環境の regulator for the oil and gas 部門 had already been staffed with 公式の／役人s loyal to Lopez Obrador.
Susana Cazorla, an energy 顧問 who held several 上級の positions at the energy （売買）手数料，委託（する）／委員会／権限 and the energy 省, said she was ますます 関心d about what this means for 環境の, social and 法人組織の／企業の governance 問題／発行するs.
"The most important 危険 is that Pemex, which is desperate to 増加する 生産／産物, will no longer 尊敬（する）・点 the 存在するing 支配するs," she said. "And that regulators become too weak to 需要・要求する and 施行する changes."
Even when it did 課す 罰金s in the past, the regulator had a hard time 納得させるing Pemex to stick to the 支配するs in 確かな 事例／患者s: Reuters 報告（する）／憶測d in November that 上級の Pemex 公式の／役人s considered some 違反s were 正当化するd because they helped to 増加する 生産／産物, and were willing to 支払う／賃金 罰金s. (報告（する）／憶測ing by Stefanie Eschenbacher Editing by Stephen Eisenhammer and Claudia Parsons)
