By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, July 5 -- Partners in Margarita gas field in Bolivia are launching the second phase of a study that proposes liquefied natural gas exports to the US West Coast.
Repsol YPF SA, BG PLC, and BP PLC presented their project plans to the Bolivian Congress Thursday. Ownership of the exploration block in 1999 was 37.5% each for Repsol and BG and 25% for BP.
The three producers have invited other companies in Bolivia to join them in the project.
Repsol said Margarita field has reserves (proven, possible, and probable) sufficient to supply four LNG trains.
It said several phases are envisioned for the project. First, the gas and liquids reserves in the field would be developed. Gas and other pipelines would be built to move dry gas, LPG, and liquids 900 km from the field to the Chilean coast. A two-train LNG plant would be built in Chile.
Repsol said tankers then would be arranged to move the LNG from Chile to a regasification plant that would be built in Baja California. Then the Mexican plant would be linked by pipeline to the southern California gas network.
The company noted that the LNG would be shipped 4,300 miles from Chile to Baja California, half the distance of competing projects using LNG from southeastern Asia.
Repsol, BG, and BP also are partners in Atlantic LNG, which is expanding operations at its Trinidad and Tobago gasification plant.