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Ecuador's oil vote could risk fuel subsidies

  • Mercados: Crude oil, Oil products
  • 06/07/23

Ecuador may have to consider ending or reducing its fuel subsidies if the country votes in an August referendum to stop about 51,500 b/d of oil production in the Yasuni natural reserve, President Guillermo Lasso said.

The country will lose $1.2bn in profit based on 2022 results from that production by state-owned PetroEcuador in the Ishpingo, Tambococha and Tiputini (ITT) fields in block 43, the government has said. To offset that, the country may need to reduce the about $2.9bn spent on gasoline, diesel and LPG subsidies in 2022, Lasso said. Figures are based on a production cost of $18/bl and a sale price of $66/bl for heavy sour Napo crude.

In addition to reducing subsidies, increasing the value-added tax on goods and services to 14pc from 12pc could also be an option, finance minister Pablo Arosemena has said.

Ecuador spent around $2.80/USG to produce and import diesel in May, compared with a sale price of $1.75/USG. It represents a subsidy of $1.09/USG. 85-octane extra gasoline has a $0.40/USG subsidy, while 85-octane gasoline blended with 5pc of ethanol Ecopais has a $0.69/USG subsidy, and LPG for household use has a subsidy of $0.63/kg.

Ecuador will also pick a new president on 20 August as part of a constitutional process triggered in the wake of impeachment hearings. A new president could take office in December, based on polls projecting the need for a second-round vote. But Lasso believes that any new leader will have few financial options if the "yes" vote wins to end production.

Whatever the outcome of the referendum, the government will continue a plan to better focus fuel subsidies this year. By September, fuel subsidies are set to end for automobiles and motorcycles with larger engines and drivers who own more than three vehicles, earn more than $41,603/yr or who do not register their vehicles annually as required by law, saving the country $220mn/yr, the transportation ministry has said.

ITT produced an average of 51,569 b/d from January-May 2023, up 3pc compared with the same period in 2022, according to PetroEcuador's data.


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