Camisea Gas Project

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The Camisea Gas Project is a controversial natural gas project originating near the Urubamba River in central Peru. The main pipeline begins at the Camisea Gas Field in formerly pristine Amazon Rainforest, traverses through steep Andes mountains, and terminates within the Paracas National Reserve near the port of Pisco. A second pipeline runs from near Pisco north along the coast to Lima for distribution to residents and industries in the capital city. The Camisea gas project has been planned for many years but was finally executed under the government of President Alejandro Toledo; it became operational in August 2004. It promises to bring great economic benefit to Peru, especially when natural gas is exported to the United States of America. It is predicted that the project will yield a revenue equivalent to 1 percent of Peru's GDP. The use of natural gas in Peru would also be a more environmentally-friendly alternative to petroleum-based diesel and coal. However, it seems that the construction of the pipeline was rushed, since as of March 2006 there have already been 5 spills along the pipeline. The latest one occurred on March 4, 2006 and left 3 people injured (El Comercio, accessed March 6, 2006 - http://www.elcomercioperu.com.pe/EdicionOnline/Html/2006-03-05/onlPortada0467113.html). According to E-Tech International of San Diego, California, at least 40 percent of the pipes used were leftover from other projects and suffered from substantial corrosion (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, accessed March 4, 2006 - http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310ap_peru_camisea.html). The construction in and destruction of the Amazon, however slight it was intended to be, has also reduced fish stocks and brought disease to formerly isolated indigenous communities, such as the Machiguenga.