Rio Commodity Insights Briefing
Join us at the Copacabana Palace from August 12 to 13 for two days of key insights, fresh perspectives, and valuable networking.
This exclusive event by S&P Global Commodity Insights brings together key voices across the energy and commodity value chain to explore the dynamics shaping Latin America’s markets within a global context, all with a flexible format so you can tailor your experience.
Event Schedule:
- August 12 - Rio Market Briefing: Explore S&P Global's latest innovations, outlooks, and insights to enhance your business potential.
- August 13 - Rio Platts Benchmark Briefing: Engage with industry leaders to deepen your understanding of benchmarks and methodologies crucial for market decisions.
Why Attend
- Tailored Insights: Participate in a dynamic agenda that allows you to select tracks aligning with your professional interests, offering insights that can drive strategic decisions in Latin America's evolving markets.
- Expert Engagement: Join interactive sessions with industry leaders and experts, where you can pose questions and share perspectives on the critical challenges and opportunities shaping the commodity landscape.
- Networking Opportunities: Connect with influential peers and S&P Global Commodity Insights experts in a vibrant environment, fostering valuable relationships across the energy and commodity value chain.
- Flexible Format: Experience the flexibility of our "à la carte" agenda, enabling you to customize your participation to suit your interests and maximize the value of your engagement.
- Exclusive Meetings: Schedule personalized 1-to-1 meetings with subject matter experts and analysts to address specific queries and gain deeper insights into benchmarks and methodologies driving market decisions.
Agenda
- Day 1
- Day 2
- Plenary Session
- Breakout Session
| Time | Session | Description | Speakers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 - 9:00 | Registration & Welcome Coffee | ||||
| 09:00 - 09:45 | Orchestrating COP30: Brazil’s Samba Toward Climate Action | As host of COP30, Brazil has signaled a clear intention to shift the focus from new climate pledges to the implementation of existing commitments—prioritizing delivery over declarations. How can Brazil give credibility to an action-oriented agenda and demonstrate measurable progress where others have fallen short? What can be accomplished on the critical issues of access to finance and technology for developing countries? Will the private sector emerge as a leading force in driving decarbonization and climate investment? | Carlos Pascual | ||
| 09:45 - 10:35 | What’s Next for Upstream Investors in Latin America: | "Globally, operators are facing a dilemma on how to replace existing reserves and production. Infrastructure-led exploration (ILX) typically yields small to moderate-sized discoveries, while frontier exploration carries high risks. Companies are increasingly re-evaluating mature basins for overlooked or new plays, leading to significant discoveries by ENI in the Ivory Coast and Indonesia. In Latin America, outside of Guyana- Suriname and Brazil reserve additions through the drill bit have been modest, driven mostly by ILX or harvesting discovered undeveloped. But that might be changing .Recently, activity appeared to picking up in Peru and offshore Trinidad. IOC’s and independents have been expanding through acquisitions across the region, although major M&A sources like Petrobras and YPF divestments programs are practically completed. Thus, what does the future hold for Latin America's upstream sector? Will the focus remain solely on frontier exploration and consolidation, or can we expect a more diversified approach that embraces the unique geological and market dynamics of each country? Join us as we explore these pressing questions and the broader implications for investors in the region." | Dan Pratt, Bob Fryklund | ||
| 10:35 - 11:15 | Uncertain times in oil and fuels markets | The oil and fuels markets are undergoing dramatic shifts due to changing supply-demand fundamentals and geopolitical tensions. Sanctions on Russia, the dynamic between the United States and China, and OPEC's influence on production levels are reshaping trade flows and energy security. Weak fuels demand growth while new capacity additions come online are challenging refiners to rethink operational and investment strategies. How do fundamentals, prices and expectations adjust to this new market regime? How does Latin America navigate the challenges of uncertainty? | Felipe Perez, Kurt Barrow | ||
| 11:15 - 11:40 | Coffee Break & Network | ||||
| 11:40 - 12:20 | Gas Markets: The Key to Latin America's Energy Transition | Join us for an insightful session that examines the transformative role of gas markets in shaping the future of global energy, with a particular emphasis on Latin America | Eric Eyberg | ||
| 12:20 - 13:00 | Flex appeal: Bridging flexibility and reliability in Brazil’s power grid | Brazil’s power sector faces structural shifts driven by renewable expansion, rising demand, volatile hydrology, and regulatory uncertainty. Effective peak-demand management and system flexibility require improved planning, coordination, and procurement strategies. As renewables increasingly shape the energy landscape alongside gas-fired generation, how will the market strategically balance these resources for the long term? How are policies and auctions evolving to respond to and embrace new paradigms in flexible power systems? | Emanuel Simon | ||
| 13:00 - 14:30 | Lunch & Network | ||||
| Closing Session: | |||||
| 17:15 - 18:00 | Fault Lines and Frontiers: Navigating a Fragmenting Global Order | As the pillars of globalization—rule of law, economic interdependence, and open markets—erode under the weight of rising nationalism and strategic rivalry, a more fragmented and unpredictable world is emerging. Are we witnessing the construction of a new global order, or simply the acceleration of global disorder? How will intensifying U.S.-China tensions reshape trade, energy, and diplomacy? What role can Latin America play in a system defined less by cooperation and more by competition? | Carlos Pascual | ||
| 18:00 - 19:30 | Happy Hour & Network | ||||
- Breakout 1: Innovation, Energy Transition & Future Technologies
- Breakout 2: Supply, Markets & Upstream/Downstream Dynamics
| Time | Description | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 - 15:10 | AI and Energy: Pioneering the Future of Resource Management Discover the transformative impact of artificial intelligence and new technologies on the energy sector. This session will showcase innovative solutions that enhance efficiency and drive sustainability in Latin America's energy markets. |
Emanuel Simon | |
| 15:20 - 16:00 | Navigating the shift: mobility trends and fuel alternatives in Latin America This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the mobility landscape in Brazil and neighboring Latin American countries, focusing on alternative fuels and biofuels. We will examine current sales trends for light, medium, and heavy-duty vehicles, the impact of policy decisions, and the outlook for the region's automotive market. |
Fellipe Balieiro, Ariel Donega | |
| 16:25 - 17:05 | The battery dispute: Can Latin America convert its critical minerals into a critical advantage? One of the main triggers for the renewed global commercial tensions is China’s undisputable lead on the new technological frontier, including batteries. The US implemented actions aiming to accelerate the localization of supply chains in its territory — a goal that has also been pursued by Europe. Should critical minerals-rich Latin America follow the same route? What will be the role of the region and how should it position itself to avoid the 'natural resources curse'? |
Henrique Ribeiro | |
| Closing Session: | |||
| Time | Description | Speakers | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 - 15:10 | AltView: No time for bears. The market is setting up for a bullish 2026. US-Iran talks indicate a potential nuclear deal, weakening the price outlook in 2H25. Anticipate OPEC+ supply cuts in 2026. Downstream markets will remain resilient, refinery margins set to stay relatively healthy. |
Lenny Rodriguez | |
| 15:20 - 16:00 | Fueling Growth: Domestic Gas, NGLs, and Petrochemical Opportunities in Latin America This session will explore the critical role of domestic gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and petrochemicals in Latin America's energy landscape. Experts will discuss market trends, production capabilities, and the potential for regional collaboration to enhance the competitiveness of these sectors. |
||
| 16:25 - 17:05 | Exploration Horizons: Unveiling Opportunities and Supply Cost Trends in Latin America This session will delve into the exploration opportunities across Latin America, focusing on the evolving landscape of supply costs and their implications for investment decisions. |
Ricardo Bedregal | |
| Closing Session: | |||
| Time | Description | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 17:15 - 18:00 | Geopolitical and economic Infrastructure challenges Suggestion: supply chain challenges of the region. |
Carlos Pascual |
S&P Global experts confirmed
Carlos Pascual
Senior Vice President, Geopolitics and International Affairs at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Bob Fryklund
Chief Upstream Strategist at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Dan Pratt
Senior Vice President, Upstream Solutions at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Kurt Barrow
Head of Oil, Fuels & Chemicals at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Felipe Perez
Head of Latin America Fuels & Refining Research and Strategy at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Eric Eyberg
Head of Global Gas & Power Consulting at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Mariana Anjos
Associate Director, Latin America gas and power markets at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Ricardo Bedregal
Executive Director / Upstream Head - Latin America & Frontier North America at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Fellipe Balleiro
Executive Director, Energy and Mobility at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Priscila Pinheiro
Principal Analyst - Biofuels Analytics at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Henrique Ribeiro
Principal Analyst, Clean Energy Technology at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Lenny Rodriguez
Manager, Oil Pricing & Regional Outlooks at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Emanuel Simon
Research & Analysis Director at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Ariel Donega e Silva
Senior Research Analyst, Production & Design at S&P Global Mobility
| Time | Session | Description | Speakers | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 - 9:30 | Registration & Welcome Coffee | ||||
| 9:30 - 9:50 | Opening Remarks & Overview of Global Markets Update | - | Adriana Carvalho, Annette Hugh | ||
| 9:50 - 10:10 | Global Crude Pricing & Brazil's Growing Role in the market mix | - | Patrick Harrington | ||
| 10:10 - 11:15 | Brazil's Rapidly Evolving Power & Gas Markets - Part 1 | Regional gas pricing and bringing price transparency to Brazil's Gas market. Global LNG pricing & benchmarks and South America's position. Brazil's dynamic power market/renewables market. Energy Panel: Trading and Pricing trends in the year ahead. |
Mark Callahan, Eric Brooks, Annette Hugh | ||
| 11:15 - 11:45 | Coffee Break & Network | ||||
| 11:45 - 13:00 | Transitions in Brazil's Transport Fuels | Aviation Fuels & Pricing: Jet & SAF. Brazil's evolving gasoline & diesel markets. Biodiesel and soybean oil update. Ethanol update. Transport markets panel. |
Mark Callahan, Patrick Harrington, Renato Rostás | ||
| 13:00 - 11:45 | Lunch & Network | ||||
| 14:30 - 15:30 | Shipping Markets and shifts in the bunker fuels | Tanker markets update Decarbonizing shipping fuels and the impact on spot markets Shipping/Bunkers panel |
Paulina Cañedo | ||
| 15:30 - 16:00 | Coffee Break | ||||
| 16:00 - 16:30 | The role of Robust Benchmarks in Brazil's developing markets | - | Paulina Cañedo | ||
| 16:30 - 17:45 | Brazil's Energy Transition and Market Trading Developments | Brazil's carbon markets and pricing trends. Brazil's biofuels mandate and market pricing impacts. Brazil's growing I-RECs trading and role in decarbonization. The role of Brazil's critical minerals in the transition. ET Panel discussion on Brazil's market opportunities. |
Anne Barbosa, Fabio Alfaro | ||
| 17:45 - 19:30 | Happy Hour & Network | ||||
Speakers
Annette Hugh
Global Head of Market Development & Engagement at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Mark Callahan
Editorial Director, Global Gas and Power Pricing at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Adriana Carvalho
Associate Director, Price Reporting, Latin America Metals at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Patrick Harrington
Associate Editorial Director, Crude and Fuel Pricing at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Eric Brooks
Manager, Americas Gas Pricing at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Ana Paula Candil
Manager, Price Reporting, LatAm biofuels and feedstocks at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Renato Rostás
Manager, Price Reporting, Brazil Oil Products at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Paulina Cañedo Ortega
Associate Price Reporting Researcher at S&P Global Commodity Insights
Anne Barbosa
Associate Price Reporter, Latin America Metals at S&P Global Commodity Insights