Argentina and Brazil have been negotiating for years the construction of the second section of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline that would allow gas to be exported from Vaca Muerta, to the south of the neighboring country. At the end of last year, the Secretary of Energy, Flavia Royón, assured that the National Development Bank of Brazil would grant a loan for US$689 million, strictly speaking, what it will finance are the steel imports required for the work. The Andean Development Corporation will add another US$540 million to speed up the initiative.
Beyond the construction of the second section of the gas pipeline, what is being sought to ensure at this time are the sales of gas to the neighboring country. This week Royón will travel along with other officials and will lead with Scioli a meeting with the governor of the state of Rio Grande Do Sul, Eduardo Leite, the main destination for exports.
Despite some claims by local producers, Lula’s Finance Minister, Fernando Haddad, confirmed the intention to buy energy from Argentina. “With the drop in gas production in Bolivia, there will be no shortage of demand in Brazil, even if it uses pre-salt production. So, financing the steel industry in Brazil to build a gas pipeline, which has gas as a guarantee, is not contradicting oneself,” said the official days ago when asked about the tensions generated by the matter.
As diplomatic sources explained to this medium, Gas sales to Brazil could imply in the medium term a growth in exports that could reverse the deficit in the bilateral trade balancewhich in the last decade averaged US$3.5 billion.
intense agenda
Scioli, who announced days ago that he would run for president, will also receive the governor of Misiones, Oscar Herrera Ahuad. Both will hold meetings with local business chambers. The missionary delegation will present on the Silicon Missions projectwhich has been running for two years, so in this case, the interest is placed on the integration chapter in science and technology of the recent agreement signed between the two countries.
Later, the ambassador will meet with officials from Itamaraty, the Brazilian Ministries of Education, Transport and Energy to discuss different projects that seek to promote the bilateral relationship. He will also do the same with authorities from John Deere, Treves and Lomaplast companies that have investment projects.
Lastly, he will travel to the province of Mendoza, where together with Brazilian wine businessmen buyers of Argentine wines to participate in the National Harvest Festival. There they will participate in business roundtables with Argentine peers and will have a meeting with Mendoza’s governor, Rodolfo Suárez.
Source: Ambito
