Mexico and Cuba considering joint natural gas project -minister

Mexican and Cuban energy officials are studying a project that could send compressed natural gas from Mexico to the Communist-ruled island, a top Mexican minister said on Thursday.

Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo told reporters the proposal under discussion would allow state-run oil company Pemex to supply Cuba's future natural gas demand, although he emphasized that many details had yet to be worked out.

"This is a project that we are just beginning to explore," said Guajardo.

While Mexico is a major crude oil exporter, it currently exports very little natural gas and instead must import much of its domestic demand because of a lack of production at home.