Construction progressing on GasAndes pipeline

GasAndes Pipeline Project [45525 bytes]

24 in. pipe stored at the Papagallo construction camp at the base of the Argentine Andes.

Gasoducto GasAndes SA partners are mounting a sizable lead in the race to transport Argentine gas to emerging markets in Chile.

Crews by Mar. 20 had begun construction activity along the GasAndes pipeline route in Chile and Argentina. Workers were trying to complete pipelaying in the high country on either side of the international border before the onset of winter weather this month.

Meantime, sponsors of the competing Gasoducto Transandino (TransGas) project pushed back to July the planned start of construction for their proposed $689 million gas pipeline. Under the revised timetable, gas is to begin flowing by yearend 1997 along the 750 mile TransGas trunk line from Loma La Lata, Argentina, to a point near Concepcion, Chile.

Earlier estimates had TransGas construction beginning in May 1996 and gas deliveries starting in September 1997 (OGJ, Feb. 5, p. 27).

GasAndes pipeline crosses Argentina's Rio Diamante at about 12,000 ft above sea level.

GasAndes sponsors propose a $350 million project to lay a 24 in. pipeline along a 290 mile route pipeline to ship gas to Santiago, Chile, from La Mora, Argentina. GasAndes is to link at La Mora with Transportadora de Gas del Norte (TGN), one of Argentina's two main gas transmission lines.

GasAndes plans to transport gas for Santiago's gas distribution system and four 350,000 kw gas fired power plants. Sources in late March reported the TransGas group had agreed to transport gas for a multiphase 1 million kw power generation plant proposed by a U.S.-Canadian group.

Sponsors of both projects continue to dispute skeptics who say both pipelines are not needed to serve Chile's future gas markets.

Welding in the high Andes of Argentina.

GasAndes construction

In Argentina, GasAndes crews have graded and trenched 37 miles of right-of-way nearest Chile. Within that section, workers have welded 22 miles of pipe and laid it in the trench, about 18 miles of which has been backfilled.

In Argentina, workers have finished welding pipe and trenching right-of-way on 60 miles of the GasAndes route, including the section next to Chile above an altitude of 11,500 ft.

In addition, GasAndes crews are grading 1-2 miles/day of the route across Argentina's dry pampas in Mendoza province. Workers also have strung about another 101/2 miles of pipe.

GasAndes project's next step in Argentina is to begin welding pipe into 78 ft long double joints. During the next several months, crews will lay the double joints in open trenches, weld them together, and backfill.

GasAndes construction in Chile is concentrating on a 7 mile segment in the highlands nearest Argentina.

By Mar. 20, workers had finished grading the first 30 miles of right-of-way in Chile as far as Pirque, including the mountainous 25 mile section between San Gabriel and Argentina.

In addition, trenching had been completed on 5 miles of that section, and officials expected crews to begin welding in the area by Apr. 20.

Pipe ready to be lowered into ditch at the Chile-Argentina border.

GasAndes began grading and trenching in Chile early in February, following receipt of Chilean environmental approvals.

NOVA Gas International Ltd. leads the GasAndes group, with a 56.5% interest in the pipeline. Other partners and their shares of interest are Chilgener SA, Chile's second largest power generator, 10%; Metrogas SA, Santiago's gas distribution company, 10%; Endesa SA 10%; and Argentine companies Techint and Cia. General de Combustibles a combined 13.5%.