ELLA Policy Brief: Gas Sector Investment Policy: The Latin American Experience

Abstract

This brief presents a concise overview of the Latin American gas industry, focusing on its policy experience and performance. In particular, it reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the region’s three different policy models: state-led, private, and state-private. It describes the evidence suggesting that in LA the state-private model has been most economically and politically successful. Finally, it discusses the focus on regional integration that is a particular feature of the Latin American case. The lessons learned will be useful for African and South Asian policymakers interested in boosting their own gas sectors. Key Lessons: The state-private model seems to have been the most successful, achieving a fair balance between economic needs and national political concerns. Regional integration has been key to further developing the Latin American gas sector