Gran Gasoducto del Sur

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 This article or section contains information about a planned or proposed pipeline.
It may contain information of a speculative nature and the content may change as the construction and/or completion of the pipeline approaches, and more information becomes available.
Kirchner and Venezuela President Hugo Chávez discuss the Gran Gasoducto del Sur—an energy and trade integration project for South America. They met on November 21, 2005 in Venezuela.
Kirchner and Venezuela President Hugo Chávez discuss the Gran Gasoducto del Sur—an energy and trade integration project for South America. They met on November 21, 2005 in Venezuela.

Gran Gasoducto del Sur (also known as Venezuela-Argentina Gas Line) was a proposed 8,000-15,000-kilometer (5,000-9,000 mi) long natural gas pipeline to connect Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina. The overall project cost was expected to be around US$17-23 billion.[1][2]

Contents

[edit] History

On 9 December 2005, during an annual meeting of Mercosur in Montevideo, the presidents of Venezuela, Argentina, and Brazil signed an accord for the construction of pipeline.[3] In July 2007, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez admitted that interest in building the pipeline has cooled. This statement followed statement by Petrobras president Jose Sergio Gabrielli, who said in June 2007 that it would take 25-30 years before the pipeline became operational.[4]

[edit] Route

The exact route of the pipeline was never defined. It was only disclosed that the first 2,950 kilometres (1,830 mi) section was to run from Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela, through Rondônia, Amazonas and Amapá states in Brazil to Marab, Pará state Brazil. In Manaus, Mazonas State, the pipeline was to be connected to the Urucu-Manaus pipeline‎ and the Urucu-Porto Velho pipeline. From Marab, a 1,387 kilometres (862 mi) branch line to Fortaleza, Ceará State was foreseen. In Fortaleza the pipeline can be connected to the existing system that extends along the coast to Salvador, Bahia State to be connected with the GASENE pipeline.[3]

The second 1,977 kilometres (1,228 mi) long section from Marab was to continue southward to São Paulo State. From there, the pipeline was to be routed by the 1,875 kilometres (1,165 mi) section to the border between Rio Grande do Sul State and Uruguay and then cross Uruguay to Argentina.[3]

[edit] Technical features

The Puerto Ordaz-Marab section was planned to have a 66 inches (1,680 mm) diameter and to consists 13 compressor stations of 25,000 hp each. The diameter of the Marab-Fortaleza branch was planned would gradually decrease from 36 inches (910 mm) to 32 inches (810 mm) and the branch project involves the installation of five 15,000 hp compression stations. The gas amount received in Fortaleza was planned to be 12.75 billion cubic meter (bcm) of natural gas per annum. The Marab-São Paulo section was to be with 54 inches (1,370 mm) diameter and to include eight 20,000 hp compression stations. The gas amount received in São Paulo was planned to be 15 bcm per annum. The Brazil-Argentina section with capacity of 18 bcm per annum was to include eight 15,000 hp compression stations.[3]

[edit] Financing

The project was to be financed by Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., Andean Development Corporation, and Caixa Econômica Federal with possible participation of other public institutions and private investors.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ 2006 International Pipeline Construction Report (PDF). Pipeline & Gas Journal (August 2006). Retrieved on 2007-05-12.
  2. ^ UNASUR - Unnion of South American Nations - takes shape (PDF). South Centre (2007-05-01). Retrieved on 2007-07-03.
  3. ^ a b c d e Peter Howard Wertheim. "Accord Signed for Venezuela-Argentina Gas Line", Oil & Gas Journal, 2006-01-09. Retrieved on 2008-05-17. 
  4. ^ Chávez admits defeat on Gran Gasoducto del Sur. South America Energy Markets (2007-08-03). Retrieved on 2007-11-03.