TN PETRÓLEO

Argentine state energy company Enarsa has extended the tender for engineering and construction of the 1,182km GNEA natural gas pipeline linking Argentina and Bolivia, an Enarsa spokesperson told BNamericas.

Several companies involved in the tender requested the extension.

Enarsa will accept offers until 11:30am local time on May 26 and will open them at 12:00pm on the same day. Data packages are available from Enarsa. The previous deadline was April 10.

The US$1.64bn GNEA pipeline would have capacity to transport 27.7Mm3/d of natural gas from Bolivia to the Argentine provinces of Salta, Formosa, Chaco, Corrientes, Misiones and Santa Fe.

Argentina will loan Bolivia US$450mn to construct a liquids separating plant for the project. A tender for the plant was launched in early April.

Argentine steel tube and equipment producer Siat won a tender to supply pipes to Enarsa for the project.

The pipeline is expected to begin operations in January 2010.