Peru Extends Petroperú’s Operations at Talara’s Z-69 Oil Block by Six Months-awdailynews

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2025-11-17

Peru Extends Petroperú’s Operations at Talara’s Z-69 Oil Block by Six Months

Peru’s government has extended Petroperú’s temporary operating license for the Z-69 offshore oil block in Talara, ensuring continued production from a key northwestern asset that contributes to national energy security.

Under Supreme Decree No. 022-2025-EM, Petroperú’s contract has been prolonged until May 2026, or until authorities finalize an agreement with a new operator. State energy agency Perupetro signed the amendment with Petroperú this week at its headquarters, with both companies’ top executives in attendance.

The extension follows Petroperú’s takeover of Z-69 in November 2023, part of a broader trend in which the company has assumed operation of several Talara-area assets previously managed by private firms. The government has justified these temporary handovers as necessary to preserve production and local revenue streams while longer-term tenders are prepared.

To retain the license through the new end date, Petroperú must demonstrate a minimum last-month production of 3,045 b/d of audited output and implement a revised royalty structure aligned with updated sector norms. Maintaining these benchmarks is critical for Piura—the region hosting Talara’s aging but still strategic oil fields—where hydrocarbons continue to supply fiscal revenues and local employment.

Petroperú CEO José Manuel Rodríguez Haya said the extension will protect royalties, canon payments, and other economic benefits while supporting continuity across the company’s upstream portfolio. “Maintaining operations at Z-69 ensures ongoing production for the benefit of Piura and the country,” he said.

Peru’s upstream sector has seen declining output for years as mature basins face natural depletion and investment cycles lag. The Talara basin, long the heart of the nation’s onshore and offshore production, remains vital for domestic supply despite diminishing reserves. Extending Petroperú’s oversight avoids an operational gap while authorities deliberate the long-term structure of block assignments.

For Petroperú (PETROPERU), the decision reinforces its role as a stop-gap operator as the company seeks to stabilize its finances and operational capabilities following years of strain linked to cost overruns at the Talara refinery and volatile fuel markets. The company’s upstream involvement remains politically sensitive but central to ongoing debates about the future of Peru’s hydrocarbon governance.