Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel held a meeting this Tuesday with Sergei Kudryashov, the general director of the Russian oil company Zarubezhneft.
During the meeting, the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba also emphasized the importance of collaboration between Cuba and the Russian company, particularly in the oil sector of Boca de Jaruco in the Mayabeque province, and expressed his desire to strengthen bilateral ties in the energy sector.
"It is a pleasure for us to welcome you to our country and take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation for the work that Zarubezhneft has been doing," stated the Cuban leader. He also described the moment as an opportunity to "make further progress" on joint projects, as he posted on his X account.
A strategic project for Cuba.
Since 2011, Zarubezhneft, in collaboration with the Cuban state company CUPET, has been working on the oil recovery project in the Boca de Jaruco field, located about 30 km from Havana.
This field, which has estimated resources of 3.7 billion tons of crude oil, has undergone innovations such as horizontal well drilling, a technique introduced by the Russian company in 2019.
During the meeting, Díaz-Canel recalled his visit to the countryside in previous years and highlighted the encouraging results that were already evident at that time. He also mentioned recent discussions with CUPET regarding the progress of the project and future prospects. "The benefits and outlook are very promising," he stated.
For its part, Kudryashov presented new proposals and data regarding the project, which were positively received by the Cuban side, according to the website of the Presidency of Cuba.
Critical Energy Context
The collaboration with Zarubezhneft comes at a critical moment for Cuba, marked by a severe energy crisis that has led to frequent blackouts and difficulties in electricity generation.
The country relies heavily on oil imports to meet its energy needs, with limited domestic extraction capacity.
The Boca de Jaruco field has been a key element in the Island's efforts to increase its local crude oil production, although technological limitations and a lack of investment have hindered its full development.
Reaffirmation of bilateral ties
The meeting also included key figures from the Cuban regime, such as Vice Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz and Minister of Energy and Mines Vicente de la O Levy.
This dialogue reinforces the strategic alliance between Cuba and Russia, particularly in key sectors such as energy, and highlights the increasing economic and military cooperation between the two countries in an international context marked by conflicts such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
What is Zarubezhneft's interest in Cuba?
The Russian state-owned company Zarubezhneft has maintained a significant presence in the Cuban energy sector since 2011, working closely with Unión Cuba-Petróleo (CUPET) on oil extraction and recovery projects.
One of the most notable projects, which involved a personal commitment from Russian leader Vladimir Putin, is the development of the Boca de Jaruco oil field, located in the province of Mayabeque, where advanced techniques for extracting heavy crude have been implemented.
"Zarubezhneft is developing the Boca de Jaruco oil field. The development of new blocks in the offshore platform of Cuba is expected in the very near future," Putin stated in July 2014. The regime's propaganda speaks a lot about these offshore explorations, but nothing materializes.
In 2012, Zarubezhneft began drilling an exploration well in block L, located north of the provinces of Sancti Spíritus and Ciego de Ávila, using the semi-submersible platform Songa Mercur.
However, in 2013, the company decided to temporarily suspend these operations due to geological complications and technical issues with the platform.
Despite these challenges, the collaboration between Zarubezhneft and CUPET has continued, focusing on improving efficiency and increasing production in the existing fields.
In 2020, the Russian company announced expectations of extracting around 52 tons of oil daily from a well in Boca de Jaruco, thanks to the implementation of advanced technologies developed in collaboration with Kazan Federal University. To achieve this, it announced an initial investment of 100 million euros in Cuba.
In addition to Zarubezhneft, other Russian companies have shown interest in the Cuban energy sector. In 2024, it was reported that Russia was considering the construction of an oil refinery in Cuba, reflecting the strengthening of bilateral relations in the energy field.
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