From 2015 to 2018, investments in Exploration and Extraction Contracts and exploration studies totaled US$7.568 billion dollars, consisting in the following:

• US$3.054 billion in information investments: $302 million dollars in access fees to the National Hydrocarbons Information Center “CNIH” databases (4%); and $2.752 billion dollars in “ARES” (Autorizaciones para el Reconocimiento y Exploración Superficial, or Reconaissance and Surface Exploration Permits) exploration studies (36%);
• US$1.197 billion invested in activities related to Exploration and Extraction Contracts (16%).
• US$1.645 billion in payments to the Mexican Oil Fund (22%).
• US$1.671 billion in transfers to Pemex related to 3 signed farmout agreements (22%).

Investments in exploration, including contract-related activities and information acquisition, have generated a total investment of US$4.252 billion, which represents an additional 69% to investment made by Pemex during the same period (US$6.174 billion)¹.