Peru�s energy and mines ministry announced that a consortium led by Techint, Argentina, has registered to participate in the tender scheduled for Oct. 20 for a 40-year concession to build and operate the installations for the transport and distribution of Camisea natural gas and liquids from the gas fields 500 km east of Lima to the coast.
Previously, Techint had expressed interest (OGJ Online, Sept. 18, 2000).
Jorge Chamot, energy and mines minister, said that although this is the only potential bidder so far, other groups could still participate.
Chamot estimated the cost of the installations at around $1 billion, including $650 million for the gas line, $250 million for liquids, and $90 million for distribution.
Techint will be the operator with 30% of the consortium. The other companies include Gas Natural Group, Spain, with 6.34%, and Sonatrach, Algeria, with 10%. The remaining 48% will include the three companies that won the contract in February for the exploitation of the Camisea fields�Pluspetrol, Argentina, and Hunt Oil, US, with 19.2% each, and SK Corp., South Korea, with 9.6%. The Peruvian engineering company Gra�a y Montero will hold 5.66%.
The tender for the Camisea project has been postponed repeatedly since May last year when it was first called after a 2-year evaluation program by a Royal Dutch/Shell Group-Mobil Corp. consortium that was unable to reach agreement with the government on the terms for the next stage.
The Royal Dutch/Shell Group discovered the gas in the mid-eighties, but its development at that time was also stalled by governmental indecision over conditions.