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Argentina, Brazil discuss gas pipeline plan

ARGENTINA has held another round of Additionally, both sides agreed that techni-
discussions with Brazil on plans for the con- cal teams would maintain co-operation on these
struction of a pipeline to transport gas from issues in the coming months.
unconventional fields in the Vaca Muerta shale The parties are hoping to build a pipeline
formation to southern Brazil. along a 600-km route from Uruguaiana, a city
Argentina’s Energy Minister Darío Martínez in southern Brazil on the border with Argen-
met virtually last week with Brazilian Mining tina, to Porto Alegre on Brazil’s Atlantic coast.
and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque at the The proposed link will be able to handle 15mn
Binational Energy Integration forum, where cubic metres per day of gas, though its through-
they agreed to set up a bilateral working group put capacity may rise later to 30 mcm per day.
to support the $1.2bn project. The gas pipeline will take a year and a half
“The setting up of this group will give us the to build. The Brazilian side will have to provide
tools to strengthen ourselves. It was the mandate financing for the project, which has limited
given to us by our president, Alberto Fernández, options for securing funding.
to think about the issue in the medium and long Albuquerque also discussed the pipeline
term,” Martínez was quoted as saying by local at a meeting with Argentina’s ambassador in
media. Brasília, Daniel Scioli, last month.
“We intend to seek the greatest synergies Officials in Buenos Aires support the project
between both peoples,” he added. because they are looking for ways to expand gas
For his part, Albuquerque said it was impor- transportation networks serving Vaca Muerta
tant that the two nations continued pursuing fields. At present, Argentina’s existing pipeline
“integration mechanisms” and that they con- network does not have sufficient capacity to
tinued “to exchange information on the energy respond to all of the projected increases in local
matrix between Brazil and Argentina.” demand. ™

Iveco signs contract to supply 100

CNG-fuelled trucks to NRG Argentina

THE Italian manufacturing firm Iveco, an affili- customers need,” said César Güercio, CEO of
ate of the US-Italian CNH Industrial group, has NRG Argentina.
won a contract to deliver 100 CNG-powered The sale represents “a great step towards the
trucks powered to NRG Argentina, a supplier to introduction of this technology in the local mar-
the oil and gas industry. ket,” said Francisco Spasaro, commercial direc-
The order is the largest of its kind ever placed tor of Iveco in Argentina.
in South America. NRG Argentina is planning to build a ser-
According to a statement posted on Iveco’s vice and maintenance centre for the new fleet
Argentinian website, the company has closed at its operational base, which is located in Rio
a new sales agreement for 100 Stralis NP Cur- Negro Province. The new trucks are expected to
sor 13 units. The contract also provides for 100 be used in the provinces of Entre Ríos, Neuquén
maintenance contracts to accompany the units and Rio Negro, according to Iveco.
to NRG Argentina, which is based in the south- Last year, Argentina’s government reduced
ern province of Rio Negro. import tariffs for trucks powered by CNG,
“We are proud to announce a new com- LNG and biogas by 30-33%. Additionally, it set
pressed natural gas (CNG) truck sales operation a global import quota of 800 of these types of
and affirm that it is the largest operation in the trucks and for 200 gas-fuelled truck engines,
region in terms of alternative fuels,” said Márcio according to local reports.
Querichelli, president of IVECO Commercial At the time, it explained the decision by not-
Vehicles South America. ing that gas was not only a more environmen-
“The acquisition of a fleet of CNG trucks tally friendly fuel but also cheaper than diesel.
is a clear example of the importance for NRG Indeed, Iveco noted last week that the new
Argentina of incorporating technologies and CNG-powered vehicles would have fuel costs
good practices that take care of the environment that were 40-50% lower than those of their diesel
into account, while providing the solutions that counterparts. ™

Week 40 08•October•2020 www. NEWSBASE .com P19