Enarsa has opened bids for the renewal of the Northern Gas Pipeline, an important work that must be completed before next winter to replace Bolivian gas with Vaca Muerta gas. The three competitors are Pumpco, a subsidiary of the construction company of the owner of Inter, BTU and the joint venture of Techint and Sacde.
The state company Energy of Argentina (Enarsa) held this Friday the Turning in offers of bidding for the works of renewal of the North Gasduct an important task in supplying gas production Dead cow to the provinces of NOA and Cuyo and that will make it possible to replace the decrease in shipments from Bolivia. As expected by EconoJournal, the construction company MasTec of, owner of Inter Miami the club where Lionel Messi plays, is the surprise since it appeared in the competition through its subsidiary Pumpco the largest oil and gas pipeline builder in the United States.
Other competitors are BTU and the joint venture formed by Techint and Sacde which is the same that established the first section of Néstor Kirchner Gas Pipeline. One piece of information left out of the bid opening is that some local construction companies did not show up. Victor Contreras and Contreras Brothers.
Bidding
she Northern Gas Pipeline, operational since 1960, is 1,454 kilometers long and has 12 compressor plants. Compulsion is to comply with detailed engineering, supplies and construction of a pipeline that requires modification. Compulsa was launched on August 25 and is considered the financing of a loan of US$ 540 million through the Andean Development Corporation (CAF).
The rest will be covered by money from Cammesa’s Wholesale Electricity Market Stabilization Fund, as expected by the EconoJournal in July. In general, the renewal of the pipeline requires financing of US$ 750 million. “This will allow us to completely replace the gas we import from Bolivia, which means a saving of US$ 1,960 million“, said the president of Enarsa, Agustin Gerez at the opening ceremony.
Pumpco
The company Pumpco is the form of arrived in Argentina from the MasTec group is a megacorporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is also in charge of laying the main gas pipeline between Mexico and the US.
The transformation of the Northern Gas Pipeline may be the beginning of the landing in the country of this giant based in Florida, but that also has in the pipeline the development of other infrastructure projects in Argentina.
Next winter
The transformation of the Northern Gasduct is key because Argentina needs it replace the productive decline in Bolivia to avoid the risk of shortages next winter. The pipe runs from Córdoba to the Bolivian border. In addition, Enarsa has agreed to purchase 36-inch pipes from Tenaris, a Techint group company, for 122.5 kilometers of the extension, which will connect the La Carlota compressor plant of the Centro Oeste gas pipeline to the Tío Pujio plant of the North Gas Pipeline.
The first stage of change can be included 19 million cubic meters of gas per day (MMm3/d). The second will include additional gas transportation capacity to reach 29 MMm3/d. The set of reversal works also includes 62 kilometers of 30-inch loops in the North Gasduct to the town of Ferreyra and injection reversal work in Ferreyra, Dean Funes, Lavalle and Lumbrera compressor plants.
