Strategic Forum

Empowering Venezuela: Energy, Investment & Opportunity

Tuesday, August 18 | 1:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | George R. Brown Convention Center, Room 320

Join the U.S. Department of Energy, the Venezuelan Ministry of Hydrocarbons, and PDVSA for Empowering Venezuela: Energy, Investment & Opportunity, a strategic forum highlighting Venezuela's energy resources, investment opportunities, regulatory framework, and reconstruction efforts following the June 24 earthquakes.

The session will feature keynote presentations from Kyle Haustveit, United States Under Secretary of Energy; Paula Henao, Minister of People's Power of Hydrocarbons, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Jovanny Martinez, Executive Vice President, PDVSA; and industry executives who will provide insight into the technical, commercial, and regulatory considerations required for successful operations in Venezuela.

The session concludes with a technical presentation by Yurbis Gomez, Executive Director of Exploration and Integrated Reservoir Studies at PDVSA, who will highlight Venezuela's exploration potential and will explain why exploration should continue in the country with the largest proven reserves.

Schedule
1:30 – 1:40 p.m.
Welcome and Introductions

1:40 – 2:00 p.m.
Kyle Haustveit, Under Secretary of Energy
United States Department of Energy

2:00 – 2:20 p.m.
Paula Henao, Minister
People's Power of Hydrocarbons, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela

2:20 – 2:40 p.m.
Jovanny Martinez, Executive Vice President
Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA)

2:40 – 3:30 p.m.
Insight Panel Discussion: Developing Venezuela's Energy Potential: Strategy, Technology, and Innovation

Moderator:
Ana María Goncalves; Latin America and Caribbean Region President-Elect, AAPG

Panelists:
Tomas Zapata, Director of Global Exploration, Development and CO2 Storage, Repsol
David Hajovsky, Executive Vice President - Multiclient, TGS
Stephanie Vargas, Associate Director of Upstream Asset Valuation, Latin America and Frontier North America, S&P Global
Ahmed Waguih, Vice President Digital – Americas, SLB

3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Coffee Break & Networking

4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Sustainability of the Extra-heavy Supergiant: The Geological and Economic Value of Exploring for Light Crude and Free Gas in Venezuela
Yurbis Gomez, Executive Director of Exploration and Integrated Reservoir Studies, PDVSA

Speakers

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    Kyle Haustveit,
    Under Secretary of Energy, United States Department of Energy
  • 50
    Paula Henao, Minister,
    People's Power of Hydrocarbons, Boliviarian Republic of Venezuela
  • 50
    Jovanny Martinez,
    Executive Vice President, Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA)
  • 50
    Yurbis Gomez,
    Executive Director of Exploration and Integrated Reservoir Studies, PDVSA
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  • 50
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Moderator
  • Ana Maria Goncalves,
    Latin America and Caribbean Region President
Panelists
  • Tomas Zapata,
    Director of Global Exploration, Development and CO2 Storage
    Repsol
  • David Hajovsky,
    Executive Vice President, TGS
  • Ahmed Waguih,
    Vice President Digital, Americas, SLB
  • Stephanie Vargas,
    Associate Director of Upstream Asset Valuation, Latin America
    and Frontier North America, S&P Global

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