South America / GoM
Country profile: Cuba
Location: | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, 150 km south of Key West, Florida,0,0,0 |
Climate: | tropical; moderated by trade winds; dry season (November to April); rainy season (May to October) |
Terrain: | mostly flat to rolling plains, with rugged hills and mountains in the southeast |
Size: | 110860 sq. km total (Land area: 110860 sq. km ) |
Population: | 11,423,952 (July 2008 est.) |
Languages: | Spanish |
Government: | Communist state |
Capital city: | Havana |
Legal system: | based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Currency: | Cuban peso (CUP) and Convertible peso (CUC) |
Licensing: |
Country profile
The islands of the Caribbean basin are predominantly net energy importers, with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago. Agriculture and natural resource extraction activities continue to constitute the basis of the islands' economies, though the tourism and service sectors are growing. In recent years, the Caribbean countries have been worried that higher global oil prices will impair their efforts to expand economically. In response, the island nations have been discussing ways to better integrate their energy sectors, especially in regards to increased natural gas exports from Trinidad and Tobago to other islands. These efforts have also focused on the major external energy suppliers to the region, such as Mexico and Venezuela.
The native Amerindian population of Cuba began to decline after the European discovery of the island by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1492 and following its development as a Spanish colony during the next several centuries. Large numbers of African slaves were imported to work the coffee and sugar plantations, and Havana became the launching point for the annual treasure fleets bound for Spain from Mexico and Peru. Spanish rule, marked initially by neglect, became increasingly repressive, provoking an independence movement and occasional rebellions that were harshly suppressed. It was US intervention during the Spanish-American War in 1898 that finally overthrew Spanish rule.
The subsequent Treaty of Paris established Cuban independence, which was granted in 1902 after a three-year transition period. Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule held the subsequent regime together for nearly five decades. He stepped down as president in February 2008 in favor of his younger brother Raul CASTRO. Cuba's Communist revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country is now slowly recovering from a severe economic downturn in 1990, following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4 billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, air flights, or via the southwest border - is a continuing problem. The US Coast Guard intercepted 2,864 individuals attempting to cross the Straits of Florida in fiscal year 2006.
Energy production and consumption
Oil | Gas | |
Production: | 50,850 bbl/day (2006 est.) | 1 billion cu m (2006) |
Consumption: | 150,000 bbl/day (2006 est.) | 1 billion cu m (2006) |
Exports: | ||
Imports: | 98,100 bbl/day (2005 est.) | |
Reserves: | 243 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.) | 67 billion cu m (2006) |
Major fields: |
Cuba - recent news
18 Apr 24 |
Cuba: Melbana Energy announces Alameda-3 drilling update Melbana reports that sections of elevated formation gas have been encountered indicative of hydrocarbons in the reservoir, consistent with the exploration well Alameda-1. |
23 Jan 24 |
Cuba: Melbana Energy announces Quarterly Activities Summary - Period Ended 31 December 2023 Melbana Energy has provided a summary in relation to its activities during the quarter ended 31 December 2023. The summary includes the Block 9 PSC onshore Cuba and operations in Australia, including the Hudson Prospect in NT/P87 and WA-544-P and relinquishment of AC/P51. |
19 Dec 23 |
Cuba: Melbana Energy announces commencement of Alameda-3 drilling Drilling of the Alameda-3 Appraisal Well commenced at 06:00 local time on Friday, 15 December 2023. Primary objectives are the appraisal of the two deeper and geologically independent Alameda and Marti reservoirs discovered by Melbana in 2022. These reservoirs were estimated to contain a combined 179 million barrels of Prospective (recoverable) Resource (Unrisked Gross Best Estimate). |
29 Nov 23 |
Cuba: Melbana Energy provides Block 9 operational update, onshore Cuba Melbana Energy, a 30% interest holder in and Operator of Block 9 PSC onshore Cuba, has provided an operational update. Preparations for the commencement of drilling of the Alameda-3 Appraisal Well (the primary objectives of which are the appraisal of the two lower geologically independent oil-bearing reservoirs intercepted by Alameda-1 - designated Alameda and Marti, respectively) are nearing completion. |
02 Nov 23 |
Cuba: Melbana Energy provides update on early testing at Block 9, onshore Cuba Melbana Energy, a 30% interest holder in and Operator of Block 9 PSC onshore Cuba, has provided this operational update on early testing. Early production from Unit 1B at Alameda-2 is now complete. Preparations for the commencement of drilling of the Alameda-3 appraisal well are also nearing completion. |
Cuba - more news
Other countries in this region
- Argentina,
- Aruba,
- Bahamas,
- Barbados,
- Belize,
- Bermuda,
- Bolivia,
- Brazil,
- Canada,
- Chile,
- Colombia,
- Costa Rica,
- Dominican Republic,
- Ecuador,
- Falklands,
- French Guiana,
- Grenada,
- Guatemala,
- Gulf of Mexico,
- Guyana,
- Honduras,
- Jamaica,
- Mexico,
- Nicaragua,
- Panama,
- Paraguay,
- Peru,
- Suriname,
- Trinidad,
- Uruguay,
- USA,
- Venezuela