L.R. Aalund
Managing Editor-Technology
The deregulation of Argentina's oil industry and the privatization of its state-owned oil company are putting more of the country's crude oil into the international oil market.
These developments (OGJ, Feb. 13, pp. 45-59) have fostered greater efficiency in the industry and a boom that increased production in 1994 to an average of 666,000 b/d, according to the Argentine Petroleum Institute. This is 12% higher than 1993, and the trend upward is expected to continue.
Production at year's end 1994 was running at a level of some 700,000 b/d.
As Table 1 (13364 bytes) shows, 212,000 b/d went to export in 1994. This volume will almost certainly increase during 1995. A major reason is that the 16-in. trans Andean pipeline from Argentina's prolific Neuquen basin to Concepcion, Chile will be carrying crude at its full capacity of 106,000 b/d. The crude it carries is called Rincon de los Sauces from a place name meaning loosely in English "a nook of willows."
As Table 1 (13364 bytes) shows, only 47,800 b/d of the Rincon crude was exported in 1994. What isn't taken by Chile's national oil company Empresa Nacional dei Petroleo, is available for further export from Chile to Pacific Rim countries, including the U.S.
Analyses, furnished by YPF, of the four major export crudes - Rincon de los Sauces, Canadon Seco, Medanito, and Escalante - are given in this article. Also presented are true boiling point curves for all except Canadon Seco.
The producing areas and supply systems for moving these crude to shipping terminals were described in OGJ, Feb. 13, pp. 50-52. Following is information on the shipping facilities for the crudes.
Rincon De Los Sauces TBP Table (42610 bytes)
RINCON
The Rincon de los Sauces crude begins its journey over the mountains to Chile at Puesto Hernandez in Argentina's Neuquen basin. After the Chilean offtake, the remaining crude is loaded on tankers in sheltered San Vicente Bay which is separated from the larger Concepcion Bay by a peninsula. The crude oil tanker terminal in the bay can take ships up to 250 m long and 70,000 dwt.
The loading rate is 18,870 bbl/hr. Storage capacity at the terminal is 940,000 bbl. For loading larger parcels, top-off operations utilizing another ship can be conducted across the peninsula in Concepcion Bay.
Medanito TBP Table (40837 bytes)
MEDANITO
The Medanito blend is piped from the Neuquen basin to Puerto Rosales (Bahia Blanca) on the Atlantic where there is 1.3 million bbl of storage capacity. The crude is loaded through one of two single buoy moorings offshore, Punta Ciguena and Punta Ancla. Ships of up to 60,000 dwt can utilize these rotary head buoys.
For loading parcels of 1 million bbl, ship-to-ship operations have been performed close to the terminals.
CANADON SECO
The Canadon Seco crude is loaded out from the Caleta Olivia single buoy mooring (SBM) off Comodoro Rivadavia on the Atlantic. The SBM is is 2.7 km from shore in 22 m of water. The berth is equipped with a 30 in. loading line.
The facility allows vessels of up to 60,000 dwt to be loaded at rates of 18,870 bbl/hr. For parcels of 1 million bbl, ship-to-ship operations have been performed close to this terminal. Storage capacity for this terminal is 1 million bbl.
Escalante TBP Table (41368 bytes)
ESCALANTE
The Escalante crude is loaded from the Caleta Cordova SBM also off Comodoro Rivadavia. Maximum draft is 20 m. The SBM allows vessels up to 60,000 dwt to be loaded at a rate of 18,870 bbl/hr.
For parcels of 1 million bbl, ship-to-ship operations have been performed close to this terminal. Storage capacity for this terminal is 950,000 bbl.
Copyright 1995 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
