The president of the National Administration of Fuels, Alcohol and Portland (Ancap), Alejandro Stipanicic, communicated to the press the measures carried out by the board of directors of the state oil company to prevent the high levels of salinity in the water from affecting the refinery equipment The Tile, and established the possibility of bringing water from the Uruguay River with company barges or lease a water treatment plant from SBI to deal with the problem.
That is why the refinery needs drinking water that, after being treated inside the plant, enters the steam production. According to the president of Ancap, when the electrical conductivity rises (caused by the increase in salinity in the water), the possibility of corrosion of the equipment and boilers increases, which could generate punctures and service outages.
In this sense, Stipanicic explained that he is in constant dialogue with the National Emergency System (Sinae) and OSE because all possible variables are sought so as not to “turn off the refinery” of La Teja. Among them is the possibility of collecting water from the Uruguay river through the company’s own barges, as well as the lease of an OSE water treatment plant.
The president of Ancap explained that what the population suffers today, from the company They already perceived it since February, since they are more “sensitive” than private consumers. However, he highlighted the exceptionality of the case. “The water from OSE or surface roads was never a problem in Uruguay. In the history of Uruguay it is the first time that it has happened, ”he said.
Ancap had already taken preventive measures due to the increase in salinity in the water at the La Tablada refinery through the acquisition of a new reverse osmosis plant at joint venture to lower salinity levels. Also, they were using UTE treated water as supply.
One more loss for La Teja
In mid-March, Ancap announced that it will lose 200 million dollars due to the repairs and remodeling that will suffer the La Teja refinerywhich will imply the total shutdown of the plant and the consequent affectation of production.
The loss will be greater than originally projected, since in February it had established that amount at 72 million dollars. In addition, the tasks in La Teja will not take three months, but between four and five, hence the costs for the state oil company have increased.
Ancap must, during that period, import the fuel. It will do so through tenders with the aim of maintaining the amount of production in reserve that the company always has.
Source: Ambito
