The Minister of Economy, Sergio Massaannounced this Thursday that the tender for the second section of the Nestor Kirchner pipeline will be launched immediately after the inauguration of the first stage, and that the private sector will be invited to work together with the State “in a collaborative and associated way”.
Such as revealed Ámbito at the beginning of the weekthe construction of the gas pipeline has a work progress of 45% and everything is planned so that the operational authorization is June 20, a national holiday for the Flag Day. In the Government they estimate that the pipe will generate import savings of US$2.2 billion in the second half of the year, doubling that figure in 2024.
The construction of lines 1 and 2 -with an extension of 440 kilometers- “is advancing along the trace simultaneously, as planned”, explained from the joint venture formed by Techint and Sacde, which have in the work with more than 1,000 work teams. “A work that would normally be carried out in 24 months and today it is being carried out with a goal of 10 months”, they remarked.
In the last days of March, the special crossings of National Route 35 and Provincial Routes 18 and 9 were completed, in the province of La Pampa, and cleaning tasks are being carried out on the first sections, which gave rise to the hydraulic tests. These tests consist of injecting pressurized water into sections of the pipelines for the final verification that there are no losses and that the joints between the pipes are properly welded, which is previously subjected to ultrasound verification.
during his Virtual participation in the IDEA Energy Experience meetingwhich takes place in the city of Neuquén, Massa launched a strong call for unity in the energy sector to promote the development of Vaca Muerta, the energies of the future and the sector’s exports.
The minister said in a one-on-one dialogue with Mark Bulgheroni, group CEO of Pan American Energy (PAE), which the country owns “the opportunity to have two development turbines that are the field and the export capacity in the energy sector” and he assured that he does not intend for energy to compete with agriculture. “If we align the incentives well, if we understand that we are partners in this challenge and if we understand that energy should be a State policy that should not be modified because there is a change of government or political color, in the energy sector we have great part of the future of Argentina”, he stressed.
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Earlier, Bulgheroni held a face-to-face dialogue with the Secretary of Energy of the Nation, Flavia Royón, who put figures to promote energy exporter. According to the official, The energy balance this year is going to be balanced and next year it is going to give between 8,000 and 12,000 million dollars of positive balance”.
In his speech at the forum, Royón also confirmed that the first stage of the Nestor Kirchner pipeline It will be operational from June 20, announced the tender for the second section of the construction and confirmed that in the coming weeks they will send the LNG law to Congress to attract investment.
“It is advancing at almost unprecedented speed. Argentina is carrying out a strategic project”, said. As revealed by Energía Argentina SA, it is a work that would normally be carried out in 24 months and today it is being carried out with a target of 10 months.
Massa took up these issues and stressed that in addition to the LNG development project, hydrogen will also be sent, to “increase the capacity to develop these energies and ensure investments to take advantage of these resources.”
Regarding the gas pipeline, Massa recalled that the national State financed the first section and ratified that “We are going to invite the private sector to the bidding for the second tranche.”
The contributions of US$540 million from CAF, a bank founded in 1970 that is currently made up of 19 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, are used for complementary works on a new gas pipeline that will link La Carlota with Tío Pujio, in Córdoba, and that it is part of the national gas deployment project, but not of the GPNK in particular.
The second stage of the gas pipeline will connect the towns of Salliqueló in the province of Buenos Aires with San Jerónimo, in Santa Fe. Financing has not yet been confirmed, but contributions of US$689 million from the Brazilian National Development Bank (Bndes) were evaluated. . Royon mentioned on Thursday the possibility of adding Saudi funds. In fact, last week Massa met in Washington with the CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), Sultan bin Abdulrahman Al-Marshadto analyze investments. “Getting financing is complex because the energy transition has changed priorities. In any case, we have assumed commitments,” Royon indicated.
With an extension of 573 kilometers, the Nestor Kirchner pipelinein charge of Energía Argentina, will save more than US$2.9 billion per year between fuel import substitution and subsidy reduction, will increase the availability of gas at competitive prices and generates 10,000 direct jobs and another 40,000 indirect, between the construction of the work and the greater production of gas in Vaca Muerta.
Source: Ambito
