TN PETRÓLEO

The governments of Bolivia and Argentina on Wednesday will launch a tender to draft the basic engineering for a US$400mn-500mn liquids separation plant, according to Bolivia`s hydrocarbons and energy minister Carlos Villegas.

The plant would be built in the Pajoso field in Bolivia`s Tarija department. Bolivia`s state oil company YPFB and Argentina`s state energy company Enarsa will manage the tender.

Construction is due to wrap up in December 2009, the same time as work on the Gasoducto del Noreste Argentino (GNA) gas pipeline linking both countries is due to be completed, Bolivia`s government news agency ABI quoted Villegas as saying.

A data room will open next week in Bolivia, the minister said.

Argentina will help finance the construction of the plant, which will begin operations on January 1, 2010, to produce 30Mm3/d of gas for export.