Mexico’s PEMEX eyes lithium from oilfield brines

[Redator]

Mexico’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), is exploring lithium extraction from oilfield brines in a bid to diversify its portfolio and advance the country’s energy transition.

Chief executive officer Victor Rodríguez said in the unveiling of the company’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan last week that high concentrations of lithium, comparable to Bolivia’s, have been detected in drilling operations across five states. 

The company is assessing direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies to isolate and process the metal into carbonate or hydroxide, essential materials for batteries and clean energy technologies.

As part of the plan, PEMEX may launch a new subsidiary, PEMEX Lithium, to produce so-called “petrolithium,” lithium sourced from petroleum brine. The move aligns with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s push for energy diversification and resource sovereignty. 

Sheinbaum has framed the company’s expansion into lithium as a deliberate shift away from dependence on oil production, refining, and fuel sales, opening new revenue streams in the process.

The initiative could pave the way for collaboration with the national lithium company, LitioMx, mirroring global trends in which oil majors invest in lithium to future-proof their operations.

Mexico holds an estimated 1.7 million tonnes of lithium reserves. While smaller than other Latin American producers, the country has 82 known deposits across 18 states, with the largest concentrations in Sonora, Puebla, and Oaxaca. Experts say that with targeted investment and development, Mexico could emerge as a significant player in the global lithium market.

Analysts warn that PEMEX faces steep challenges in the sector, including its lack of experience in non-energy mining, the technical hurdles of clay-based lithium extraction, and the need to meet sustainability standards. 

The government is positive and views PEMEX’s participation as a natural extension of its role in the shifting global energy landscape, with potential partnerships on the horizon with universities, innovation centres, and public enterprises abroad.