On October 19, 2026, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that Donald Trump has raised in phone calls the idea that Mexico buy more US natural gas and that US companies expand their participation in Mexico's energy sector.
At her morning press conference, the president said the request was not presented as a condition for the USMCA. Sheinbaum noted that Mexico's Constitution and laws do not allow oil rights to be ceded, and she cited Halliburton, a Pemex contractor for 80 years, and Sempra Energy's liquefaction plant in Ensenada as examples of existing private participation. Bloomberg Línea reported that Trump offered to "help" with the country's oil production and that the president ruled out a trade for the signing of the commercial agreement. The issue matters to Mexico because natural gas underpins power generation and industrial activity, and about 75% of national consumption comes from US imports.
According to El CEO, Mexico imported around 6,668 million cubic feet per day of natural gas by pipeline from the United States during 2025, against national consumption of close to 8,600 million, based on data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). The state company carried debt of 374,334 million pesos with suppliers at the end of June 2026, according to its financial data. Bloomberg Línea put oil production at 1.7 million barrels per day, with about 10% supplied by private companies. Sheinbaum added that Mexico operates five new combined-cycle plants and is seeking to develop its own gas production while continuing to buy from its neighbor. The publication added that border infrastructure has the capacity to move more volume, and that future availability depends on US production, its domestic demand and its exports.
Teams from both governments maintain open channels and the USMCA review is still under way. The EIA's monthly gas import reports and the calendar for that trade review will show whether the request translates into additional volumes or new contracting schemes for Pemex.
This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.