By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Jan. 13 -- Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) issued 28 bid packages for construction of the first section its east-west natural gas pipeline (ICO), and it plans to receive them Jan. 19, according to a report in Business News Americas.
BNAmericas quoted project coordinator Richard Tahan as saying the contract will be awarded in February, with construction to begin in March or April. The $67million pipeline will transport 40-100 MMcfd of gas 70 km from Falcon state gas fields to the Paraguana refining complex. Pipeline operations are expected to start by January 2005, BNAmericas reported.
PDVSA will call for bids in the second half of this year for a $403 million second stage, in which 230 km of pipeline will be added to link Falcon state with PDVSA's eastern transport system.
Three compressor stations also will be added to boost total capacity in the east by 520 Mcfd, according to the report.
Stage II construction is planned for 2005-06, with operations to begin in December 2006-February 2007.