Secretary of Energy, Dario Martinezstated that the Nestor Kirchner gas pipeline it is the most important energy work of the last 40 years, together with all the complementary works that are needed.
In declarations to the cable channel C5N, Martínez indicated that “17 or 18 months later we are with a project that demands new gas pipelines”, while remarking that “Oil and gas production recovered again”.
The official emphasized that “we have the highest oil production in the last 11 years and all this demands an infrastructure work of the magnitude of this gas pipeline”.
He warned that “we must replace the importation of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) where today you are paying between 25 and 26 dollars per million BTU and when the work is finished with the GasAR Plan you will pay 3.50 dollars and in pesos, with SMEs and employed Argentine workers”.
Martinez explained that “ENARSA will be in charge of the work and it is respecting the bidding deadlines, the one for the pipes has already been done and now the bidding for the work is coming”.
“This first stage of works will allow a savings of about 3,600 million dollarss, in the importation of gas ships and tax savings of another 3,000 million dollars”
Later, he explained that “the first section of the work includes the route from the town of Tratayen, in the province of Neuquén, to Salliqueló in the province of Buenos Aires, in a first stage to bring about 11 million cubic meters.”
The head of the energy portfolio added that “this is complemented by the section to the town of Ordoqui, a 39-kilometre pipeline plus another annex between the cities of Mercedes and Cardales, which are complementary works, to which are added the of compression, to reach a transport of about 19 million cubic meters, by September 2023”.
Martínez estimated that “this first stage of works will allow a savings of about 3,600 million dollarss, in the importation of gas ships and tax savings of another 3,000 million dollars”.
The official stressed that “the second section will start in Salliqueló to San Jerónimo, in Santa Fe, with which we will reach a transport of about 40 million cubic meters and with the complementary works we will save 6,000 million dollars”, while anticipating that “Another section is going to be built to connect the Vaca Muerta field with the gas pipelines in the north of the country.”
Regarding the technical specifications that led to the departure of the former Minister of Productive Development, Matias Kulfasfrom the national cabinet, Martínez only highlighted that “pipes must have technical specifications set by the standards of the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the diameter must be 36 inches, about 91 centimeters, which is what the technical feasibility study establishes, so that it can withstand the gas pressure”.
The Secretary of Energy confirmed that “the tender is made within the established parameters and what we need is for this project not to be delayed and for us to reach the winter of 2023 with the work completed.”
Finally, and in relation to fuel supply problems in the north of the country, Martínez said that “today we have a 20% growth in fuel demand month by month and in the north of the country it has been growing between 40 and 50% and with the refineries working at 100%, we are facing the peak demand for diesel due to the thick harvest and due to planting for the next campaign.”
