| Work Detail |
The Presidente Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline became a key project for gas supply in the country by connecting Vaca Muerta with Buenos Aires. It remains to complete complementary works that will double its capacity.
The work of theTrayén compressor plant is at 86%. Photo: courtesy.
The Presidente Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline (GPNK) became a key work for the transportation of natural gas in the country by connecting Vaca Muerta with Buenos Aires. Currently, it has the capacity to transport 11 million cubic meters per day (MMm3/d), but it can reach double that with the compressor plants that are not yet completed.
In total, there are two plants that must be completed to reach a transport capacity of 22 MMm3. One of them is theTrayén plant, located in Vaca Muerta, Neuquén. Its construction is in charge of Sacde and it is already 86% complete. Mechanical completion is expected to be ready by June 15, according to established contracts.
According to industry sources, its start-up is scheduled for four weeks. It will be carried out in conjunction with Energía Argentina SA (Enarsa) and the manufacturer of the turbocharger installed in the plant. At the same time, it is coordinated with Transportadora Gas del Sur (TGS) to have gas enter the system on June 20.
This plant will have two operating conditions. On the one hand, the suction downstream of theTrayén Conditioning Plant and upstream of theTrayén Compressor Plant, will discharge to the gas pipeline with a flow range of 4 MMm3/d to 22 MMSm3/d.
On the other hand, the suction will be connected from the Loop (parallel laying) Neuba II to the plant, whose minimum design flow is 4 MMSm3/d at 60 Kg/cm2 and maximum design flow of 22 MMSm3/d at 65 Kg/cm2 .
The other compressor plant is the one in Salliqueló, which, according to this media, is not yet finished. Weeks ago they carried out the installation of the chimneys for ventilation. At the same time, the BTU firm has already placed the Measuring Station. Its launch is scheduled for September.
It is built by the Transitory Business Union (UTE) Esuco-Contreras Hermanos. The first of them is also awarded for the reversal of the direction of flow of four compressor plants of the North Gasduct.
Enarsa had planned to postpone until this year the start-up of two compressor plants that will allow the new line to transport nearly 22 million cubic meters of gas per day. Currently, the gas pipeline can only transport a capacity of up to 11 million cubic meters per day, when double that was already expected.
Given the delays in the works, the Secretary of Energy, Eduardo Chirillo, stated that "this Government regularized payments for more than 30,000 million pesos and allocated resources for another 47,000 million in the completion phase, due to the inherited delay. The National Government has no debts with the contractors of the GPNK or with those of the Reversion of the Northern Gasduct. "The payments are up to date." |
