By an OGJ correspondent
LIMA, June 7 -- The $1.6 billion Camisea project began test pumping natural gas through its pipelines June 2, according to Peru's Energy and Mines Minister Jaime Quijandria. Operators of the project, which is slated to begin commercial production by Aug. 9, are Pluspetrol of Argentina and Tecgas unit Transportadora de Gas del Peru (TGP).
The gas pipeline route extends 730 km from fields in Malvinas, over the eastern slopes of the Andes to the south coast, and northward to Lima's city gate. A parallel line for liquids extends 540 km to Pisco on the south coast where the consortium is completing a fractionation plant for production of butane, ethane, and other products.
Meanwhile, Peru LNG SRL, led by Dallas-based Hunt Oil Co. for partner SK Corp. of South Korea, is still seeking additional partners for the construction of a $1 billion liquefaction plant to be built at Pampas Melchorita near Cañete, 169 km south of Lima. The plant will have an initial capacity of 4.4 million tonnes/year of LNG. The company hopes to begin operating by late 2007 or early 2008.
