Latin America month in brief: licensing prizes and above-ground risks compete

As May rolled on, so did a rich stream of news stories on exploration success and disappointment, licensing progress, and brewing above-ground concerns. Taking the lead, Brazil will launch the 2nd and 3rd PSC licensing rounds as well as the 14th concession round. At the same time, Petrobras announced plans to exercise its right of first refusal on three of the PSC blocks on offer. As Colombia has ridden a wave of gas exploration success, Suriname has not been as fortunate. Will recent discoveries be enough to reverse Colombia's import needs? Can Suriname exploration prove a wider extension of Guyana's drilling success? Find out in our overview of upcoming exploration plans. Operations across Colombia, Peru and Mexico have been challenged by community conflicts. We look at what these delays mean for exploration and development in northern Latin America. Check out our latest take on these stories and more in the May Latin America Month in Brief.