Alan J. Viergutz

Last updated

Alan J. Viergutz
Born1953 (age 6970)
Montevideo Uruguay
Nationality Venezuelan French
CitizenshipVenezuela - France- Uruguay
Alma mater Stanford University and Claremont College
Occupation(s)Petroleum analyst and corporate executive
EmployerGrupo Centec
TitlePresident and chairman
AwardsOrder of Merit of Work and the Order of Francisco de Miranda [1]

Alan J. Viergutz (born 1953) is the president of Grupo Centec. Viergutz is a former president of the Venezuelan Oil Chamber and works additionally as an oil-industry analyst.

Contents

Early life and education

Viergutz graduated from Phillips Exeter Academy in 1970 and attended Stanford University and Claremont College between 1970 and 1977, where he received a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, a master’s in mechanical engineering, and an MBA. Afterwards he received a PhD. [1]

Career

Viergutz is a former president of the Venezuelan Oil Chamber. [2] [3] He was one of the first analysts to alert the wider industry to the problems resulting from the "Aperture" of the Caldera government and the attempts by Hugo Chavez to convert the Venezuelan Oil Industry into a tool in developing a socialistic State. [4] [5] Viergutz now serves as president and chairman of Grupo Centec, a group of six Venezuelan petroleum-related firms. [6] In addition to his work with Grupo Centec Viergutz works as an oil industry analyst out of Caracas, commenting in the media regarding trends related to the industry, such as OPEC policies. [7] Viergutz authored the self-published book 1995-2001, Years of Upheaval in the Venezuelan Oil Industry, released in 2002. [8] He has also commented on other aspects of Venezuelan society in the media, including political and social current events, [9] [10] in addition to foreign-based oil-related events. [11]

Viergutz has acted as advisor to the Venezuelan government and has represented Venezuelan petroleum interests abroad at events like the 1996 OPEC Convention and the World Petroleum Congress. Venezuelan commissions and governing bodies he has sat on have included the National Petrochemical Commission, the Economic Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, the Advisory Commission of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, and the Energy and Mines Commission of the Congress of the Republic. In the public sector he has served on the Council of Venezuelan and US Managers and the Pro-Defensa del Petróleo. [1] In the private sector he has also served as the Director of Fedecámaras, the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Director of Consecomercio, the National Chamber of Commerce in Venezuela. [12]

Personal life

In 2021, Viergutz bought an 11 million dollar mansion in Key Biscayne (Florida, United States). [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economy of Venezuela</span> National economic overview

The economy of Venezuela is based primarily on petroleum, making the country the 25th largest producer of oil in the world and the 8th largest member of OPEC. Venezuela also manufactures and exports heavy industry products such as steel, aluminum, and cement. Other notable manufacturing includes electronics and automobiles as well as beverages and foodstuffs. Agriculture in Venezuela accounts for approximately 4.7% of GDP, 7.3% of the labor force and at least one-fourth of Venezuela's land area. Venezuela exports rice, corn, fish, tropical fruit, coffee, pork and beef. Venezuela has an estimated USD$14.3 trillion worth of natural resources and is not self-sufficient in most areas of agriculture. Exports accounted for 16.7% of GDP and petroleum products accounted for about 95% of those exports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Petroleum politics</span>

Petroleum politics have been an increasingly important aspect of diplomacy since the rise of the petroleum industry in the Middle East in the early 20th century. As competition continues for a vital resource, the strategic calculations of major and minor countries alike place prominent emphasis on the pumping, refining, transport, sale and use of petroleum products.

Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. is the Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company. It has activities in exploration, production, refining and exporting oil as well as exploration and production of natural gas. Since its founding on 1 January 1976 with the nationalization of the Venezuelan oil industry, PDVSA has dominated the oil industry of Venezuela, the world's fifth largest oil exporter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alí Rodríguez Araque</span>

Alí Rodríguez Araque was a Venezuelan politician, lawyer, and diplomat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States–Venezuela relations</span> Bilateral relations

United States–Venezuela relations have traditionally been characterized by an important trade and investment relationship as well as cooperation in combating the production and transit of illegal drugs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Venezuela (1999–present)</span> Period in the history of Venezuela

Since 2 February 1999, Venezuela saw sweeping and radical shifts in social policy, moving away from the last governments officially embracing a free-market economy and liberalization reform principles and towards income redistribution and social welfare programs.

The Venezuelan general strike of 2002–2003 was an attempt by the Venezuelan opposition to President Hugo Chávez to summon a new presidential election. It took place from December 2002 to February 2003, when it faded. The government fired over 18,000 PDVSA employees and arrest warrants were issued for the presidents of the striking organizations. The main impact of the strike derived from the stoppage of the oil industry, in particular the state-run PDVSA, which provides a majority of Venezuelan export revenue. The strike was preceded by the 2002 Venezuelan coup d'état attempt in April 2002, and a one-day strike in October 2002.

Rilwanu Lukman was a Nigerian engineer who held several ministerial positions in the Nigerian Federal government before becoming Secretary General of OPEC from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2000. He died on 21 July 2014. On 18 December 2008, Lukman was appointed Minister of Petroleum Resources by Nigerian president Umaru Yar'Adua, holding office until March 2010.

The OPEC Reference Basket (ORB), also referred to as the OPEC Basket, is a weighted average of prices for petroleum blends produced by OPEC members. It is used as an important benchmark for crude oil prices. OPEC has often attempted to keep the price of the OPEC Basket between upper and lower limits, by increasing and decreasing production. This makes the measure important for market analysts. The OPEC Basket, including a mix of light and heavy crude oil products, is heavier than both Brent crude oil, and West Texas Intermediate crude oil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Predicting the timing of peak oil</span>

Peak oil is the point at which oil production, sometimes including unconventional oil sources, hits its maximum. Predicting the timing of peak oil involves estimation of future production from existing oil fields as well as future discoveries. The most influential production model is Hubbert peak theory, first proposed in the 1950s. The effect of peak oil on the world economy remains controversial.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Venezuelan oil industry</span>

Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves at an estimated 304 billion barrels as of 2020. The country was one of the world's largest exporters of oil, but the oil industry saw a significant decline since its peak in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oil reserves in Saudi Arabia</span> Oil reserves located in Saudi Arabia

The proven oil reserves in Saudi Arabia are reportedly the second largest in the world, estimated in 2017 to be 268 billion barrels, including 2.5 Gbbl in the Saudi–Kuwaiti neutral zone. This would correspond to more than 50 years of production at current rates. In the oil industry, an oil barrel is defined as 42 US gallons, which is about 159 litres, or 35 imperial gallons. The oil reserves are predominantly found in the Eastern Province. These reserves were apparently the largest in the world until Venezuela announced they had increased their proven reserves to 297 Gbbl in January 2011. The Saudi reserves are about one-fifth of the world's total conventional oil reserves. A large fraction of these reserves comes from a small number of very large oil fields, and past production amounts to 40% of the stated reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economic policy of the Hugo Chávez administration</span>

From his election in 1998 until his death in March 2013, the administration of the late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez proposed and enacted populist economic policies as part of his Bolivarian Revolution.

Celestino Armas, was a Venezuelan engineer and politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010s oil glut</span> Oversupply of oil in the 2010s

The 2010s oil glut is a significant surplus of crude oil that started in 2014–2015 and accelerated in 2016, with multiple causes. They include general oversupply as unconventional US and Canadian tight oil production reached critical volumes, geopolitical rivalries among oil-producing nations, falling demand across commodities markets due to the deceleration of the Chinese economy, and possible restraint of long-term demand as environmental policy promotes fuel efficiency and steers an increasing share of energy consumption away from fossil fuels.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was a founding member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 1946.

Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country located on the northern coast of South America. It is known for its large proven oil reserves. Before oil was discovered, Venezuelan production was primarily agriculture, such as coffee and cocoa. After the first commercial drilling for oil in 1917, oil production increased drastically due to the oil boom of the 1920s and was later furthered by World War II, as Venezuela supplied oil to the United States. From 1958 to 1989, democratic leaders attempted to use the large oil revenues to invest in other industry through various policies such as import substitution and other programs designed to diversify the Venezuelan economy away from a highly specialised export range. These attempts, for the most part, were unsuccessful as Venezuelan government revenues continued to be highly volatile due to the fluctuating price of oil, which was reflected especially throughout the 1980s due to the oil price crash. After struggling with fiscal debts due to a variety of trade protection measures and other policies, the President of 1989, President Andrés Pérez, worked with the International Monetary Fund in an attempt to rectify some of the issues plaguing the Venezuelan government. Perez was eventually unsuccessful due to political instability due to proposed austerity measures, and Hugo Chávez was later elected in 1998, after a defeat of both major political parties. The Chávez government begun enacting various socialist programs, such as free education and healthcare. These programs would continue up until Chávez's death in 2013. President Nicolás Maduro, Chávez's successor, was elected on 14 April 2013 and pledged to continue Chávez's work. However, due to hyperinflation, shortages of food and medicine and political instability, about 3 million Venezuelans have fled the country since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Brossard</span> American academic, political scientist

Emma Beatriz Brossard was an American professor of politics and government at the Louisiana State University at Baton Rouge and noted expert on the Venezuelan oil industry. She authored four monographs on the Venezuelan oil industry and its history. She was known for her criticisms of the Hugo Chavez administration and its policies in governing the Venezuelan oil company Petróleos de Venezuela, Sociedad Anónima (PDVSA).

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Viergutz, Alan J." Latin American Herald Tribune. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  2. Larry Rohter (7 April 2000). "Venezuelan Calls Tune In OPEC's Price Tactics". The New York Times . Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  3. Greg Morsbach (10 June 2002). "Venezuela pins hopes on new oil chief". BBC . Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  4. Kristin McHugh (29 June 1999). "The Changing Landscape in Venezuela". Common Ground Radio. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  5. "OIL POLITICS OF Bolivarian Revolution" . Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  6. Christina Hoag (1 May 2000). "Slipping on oil: Despite a US$4 billion windfall, Venezuela's oil industry is not necessarily booming. Just ask Centec Chairman Alan Viergutz". Latin CEO: Executive Strategies for the America. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  7. Howard LaFranchi (28 December 1999). "The nation driving up oil prices". The Christian Science Monitor . Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  8. Alan J. Viergutz (2002). 1995-2001, Years of Upheaval in the Venezuelan Oil Industry. Grupo Centec. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
  9. "Venezuelan Oil Chief Resigns". Associated Press. 30 August 1999. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  10. Marc Lifsher (12 April 2002). "Venezuela's President Chavez Is Ousted in Military Uprising". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  11. Alejandro Barbajosa (1 June 2004). "Brent Crude Oil Jumps After Saudi Attack Adds to Supply Concern". Bloomberg News . Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  12. "Executives Profiles: Alan Viergutz" . Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  13. Bandell, Brian (9 June 2021). "Oil executive from Venezuela buys Key Biscayne mansion for $11M (Photos)". The Business Journals. Retrieved 9 June 2021.