A refinery in Central America’s future?

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Mexican President Felipe Calderon is talking energy with heads of state of eight Central American countries at this week’s reunion of members of the Plan Puebla Panama in Mexico’s Campeche state. Known by its initials PPP, the project seeks to stimulate trade and attract investment to impoverished southern Mexico and the nations of Central America.

The plan has gotten off to slow start since it was hatched in 2004, but leaders say they are committed to integrating economies of the region. One of their priorities is building a petroleum refinery somewhere in Central America to provide cheaper, more reliable supplies of fuel to Mexico’s oil-starved neighbors.

Mexico’s national daily El Universal today reported that four companies - Reliance Industries Ltd., China National Petroleum Corp., Valero Energy Corp. and Itochu Corp. - have expressed interest in bidding on the project.

Posted by Marla Dickerson in Mexico City