El Diario reports:
Gas markets shrink, experts say
PLANT IN GRAN CHACO WORKS BELOW ITS INSTALLED CAPACITY.
The liquid separation plants of Yacuiba, Gran Chaco (Tarija) and Rio Grande (Santa Cruz) show lower production of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), due to the low demand of energy by Brazil and Argentina, which In addition, the lower gas production recorded by the country’s oil sector two years ago, explained José Padilla, former Secretary of Energy of the Governorate of Santa Cruz.
In this regard, the senator for Tarija, Fernando Campero, warned of a serious crisis as acute in the hydrocarbons sector, due to the lack of investment in exploration despite the millionaire income received by the Government. Both plants demanded investments of $860 million dollars, without results so far.
RESERVES
He said that this situation was denounced months ago, but that to date, as a congressman, he does not receive any response from the authorities of the sector. He described as false the information issued by the Canadian consultancy Sproule on gas certification (10.7 TCFs). “It’s just an accounting management,” said Campero.
He also indicated that the shutdown of the Northern Gas Pipeline works in Argentina is a negative signal for the Bolivian gas market.
The parliamentarian coincided, separately, with the assessment recently made by oil analyst Mauricio Medinaceli on the export of LPG to Paraguay, on its marginal value, since it does not represent large volumes. Medinacelli said in his Facebook account that the value of these exports represent 0.02 percent of the total value of energy exports.
UREA
Padilla also referred to the Urea and Ammonia plant and said it was a bad investment, since it had to be installed in Puerto Suárez on the border with Brazil. Bulo Bulo also faces competitiveness problems, and even more so when it is far from the markets of Argentina and Brazil, he said.
Bolivian Thoughts 